[681] The Secret Sits

We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.

	-- Robert Frost

First published in "A Witness Tree", 1942.

It's tempting to assume that this pithy, aphoristic couplet embodies Frost's
view of poetry and the poetic process (both composition and interpretation).
It's especially tempting when you consider that Frost's own poetry is
celebrated for its "wonderful ability to pack layer after layer of meaning
and imagery into a few words" [1] - and that he was loth to favour any
particular interpretation thereof over any other [2].

Tempting, perhaps, but not necessarily true. Which (in a marvellous twist of
self-reference) makes it equally plausible that what is being referred to is
the poem itself; it's certainly impenetrable enough in its own way... wheels
within wheels within wheels.

thomas.

[1] See Martin's commentary on Frost's "A Patch of Old Snow", poem #336

[2] See the anecdote accompanying "The Need of Being Versed in Country
Things", poem #170

[Minstrels Links]

Frost has featured on the Minstrels before, but not to the extent that one
might have expected (and not at all in the last year or so).

Poem #155, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", is a classic, and one of
those poems which _everyone_ knows and loves.

Poem #51, "The Road Not Taken", is on one of our favourite themes. The
accompanying commentary has a biography, critical assessment, and two
interesting essays on Frost's use of deceptively simple language to drive
home what are often fairly complex thoughts and emotions.

Both of these, plus the poems mentioned in the footnotes above, plus many
many more, are available on the Minstrels website,
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/index_poet.html

[EndNote]

Robert Frost died on the 29th of January, 1963. No, I wasn't aware of the
coincidence when I chose today's poem.

From: "Raphael Revah" <Raphael@>

very strange poem - came across it when looking up a site on the
psychology of despair - went into ego-state theory, with the idea that
frost is alluding to the hollow empty self-doubt of human insignificance
in the face of the unioverse - the secret of the poem - which is ignored
by all 'sane' people, but when recognised, leads people to
self-destruction (insantiy, self-abuse, addiction etc),. whether it is
accurate reflection of frosts intention or not, it is interesting view
of this poem
-----------------------------------------------------
Click here for Free Video!!
http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/

From: "Mark Horstman" <Mark@>

Maybe it's just me, but so much of Frost is so simple and plain about human
behavior, and his art is to make it beautiful to look at.

I don't think this poem is anything more (and that's why he made it short)
than a commentary on all of our tendencies to talk around an issue, even
though EVERYONE knows what it is no one is willing to talk about.  In
business, we call this the 500-lb. elephant sitting on the conference room
table.

Its brevity reminds me of Pascal's comment, "I have made this letter longer
than usual, because I lack the time to make it short."  When you've made
your point, shut up.


Mark Horstman
Managing Partner
H o r s t m a n  &  C o m p a n y
110 W. Live Oak
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(830) 997-0121
Email Fax (775) 628-7747
Office Fax (830) 997-1771

From: "Philippe Paulissen" <philippe_paulissen@>

I think this poem is about life.
"We dance round in a ring and suppose": the way we live life, we run
thru life without holding on, we run like crazy in this often mad world.
"But the secret sits in the middle and knows": only life knows it's own
secret.

Greetz Philippe

From: "Tony Hackett" <tony@>

The secret is there, it knows....and it's waiting for you to find a way in.
It isn't hiding, or being deliberately hidden, but it's there for those who
know how to look.
That's an important skill we can learn - you might not know what you're
looking for, but if you learn how to look, you can find the truth,
eventually.

From: "BRIAN J BERTGES" <bjb200@>

This poem particularly connected with me the first time that I read it for I
share a similar experience with Robert Frost.  If you actually were to research
Robert Frost and his life experience, you would realize that he was a member of
a secretive fraternity (Theta Delta Chi).  This poem perfectly displays the
idea of the brotherhood bonds within his fraternity and how brothers are to act
in society; where the brothers know so much more than perceived by anyone not
affiliated with the fraternity.  The secret is there for those to discover.  It
is not hidden, just protected.  Open yourself to it and you will be dancing and
knowing, while those who dance with you suppose.

Brian Bertges
President
Interfraternity Council
Pennsylvania State University
bjb200@
814.360.8650