Back to: Kerala Board Class 9th English Guide and Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
“A Prayer in Spring,” is a short and sweet prayer poem by Robert Frost. While the speaker prays to the Divine Beloved, he is also urging his audience to enjoy “the springing of the year” as much as they enjoy the latter harvest in winter season seasons later than spring.
About The Poet
Robert Frost, an American poet who lived from 1874 to 1963, is well-known for his evocative poetry depicting rural life in New England. ‘The Road Not Taken,’ ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, ‘A Boy’s Will,’ and ‘After Apple-Picking’ are some of his most well-known compositions. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature 31 times and won the Pulitzer Prize four times.
Theme Of The Poem
“A Prayer in Spring” is a prayer for harmony in the midst of a hectic, never-endingly anxious world. For himself and others around him, the speaker is seeking peacefulness.
Stanza 1
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day; And give us not to think so far away As the uncertain harvest; keep us here All simply in the springing of the year.
The poet of ‘A Prayer in Spring’ begins by asking for something simple in the opening verse. He hopes for us to admire the flowers today. This lyric, at its most basic level, provides a concise summation of the poem’s major idea. Frost is looking for peace and contentment in nature, but he’s not sure if he’ll find it. He also encourages his readers to appreciate the springtime of the year as much as they enjoy the harvest in winter seasons.
Stanza 2
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white, Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night; And make us happy in the happy bees, The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
He mentions beautiful flowers in the orchard in the first line. These will eventually mature into fruits, which will hopefully be harvested in the winter. The white flowers are described as “ghosts by night” by the speaker. Even if they seem extremely different at night, he can still enjoy them.
But, as he has mentioned, he is trying to dodge looking beyond the present day. He wishes to be like the “happy bees, The swarm dilating around the perfect trees.” The poet is longing just for a single moment. He is determined to enjoy this day regardless of whether the fruits ripen or not.
Stanza 3
And make us happy in the darting bird That suddenly above the bees is heard, The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill, And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
The speaker then goes on to describe another element of his environment. Robert Frost talks about a “darting bird”. At first glance, it appears like any little, fast-moving bird. However, the bird’s “bill” is referred to as a “needle” in line three. This suggests that the speaker is gazing at a hummingbird. It can be heard over the swarm and adds to the scene’s minimalism and beauty.
Stanza 4
For this is love and nothing else is love, The which it is reserved for God above To sanctify to what far ends He will, But which it only needs that we fulfil.
The speaker’s reason for sharing these delights with people around him is explained in the fourth stanza. He considers beautiful qualities of spring as “love”. There isn’t anything else like these things, according to the poet. The season’s delights are open to everybody to perceive and enjoy.
The speaker and others around him don’t grasp a lot of things in the world. ” The which it is reserved for God above,” says the Bible. He employs this for his own interests. However, spring and its flowers, birds, and bees may bring a simple joy into people’s life that can be simply appreciated.
