The Figure a Poem Makes by Robert Frost

 In The Figure a Poem Makes, written by Robert Frost, the topic of poetry and its diversity as a form of literature is addressed. Frost, who is one of the most widely read and adored American poets of all time, strongly believed that there was no specific and singular way in which a poem could be expressed. To him it was the beauty behind having variety and an endless amount of different options to choose from that mattered most. Each poem has its own character and wildness to it and does not need to follow any strict rules or resemble the way that others are written. Nevertheless each poem should “begin in delight and end in wisdom,” and enlightened its readers with information that makes them think hard and reconsider certain aspects of their lives (177).

Frost wanted the world to know that poetry is an art form, and that the originality of words and phrases strung together should have the freedom to “move about and establish relations regardless of time and space” (177). He educated his audiences in this essay with the knowledge that he gathered through his experiences at several prestigious universities, such as Harvard and Dartmouth, while still managing to incorporate his own special style. In his conclusion he ends with a simile that further enhances the image of poetry by stating that even if you “read it a hundred times; it will forever keep its freshness as a metal keeps its fragrance” (178). This form of rhetoric encourages the audience to respect poetry and always acknowledge the meaning behind every message. Frost accomplished his goal of informing why he believed that individuality is essential in poetry and made it clear that one of the greatest triumphs that any writer could have is to accurately express their emotions through words.

This cartoon demonstrates that people who follow the "rules" of poetry and don't take risks or add variety to their writing will be the ones who suffer in the long run.

(https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/business-commerce-rules-breaking_the_rules-playing_by_the_rules-begs-begger-hsc3245_low.jpg)