[779] Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
-- Robert Frost
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[Somebody Else's Commentary]
Initially, few readers progressed in their appreciation beyond the
deceptively simple surfaces of his poems. But Frost writes symbolic poetry;
to arrive at certain basic truths about life, he explores feelings and
thoughts obliquely, through the use of simple bucolic incidents. Poems as
immediately accessible as "Stopping by Woods", "Mending Wall" and "Birches"
possess levels of meaning that are dark and profound - like subtle literary
parables. Although few of his early readers ever went beyond the delight to
the wisdom of Frost's poetry, the notion that he was merely the singer of a
benevolent nature is no longer accepted. He was a passionate and troubled
man, who sought in his poems 'a momentary stay against confusion'; and his
skillfully constructed poems testify to his mastery over that confusion.
-- Gary Geddes, "20th Century Poetry and Poetics" (Oxford, 1996).
[My Own Commentary]
Frost is a master at making simple words say profound things. Here, he takes
an idle daydream, a whimsical (albeit slightly dark) musing, and converts it
into a telling insight into the destructive power of desire and hate, fire
and ice respectively. The metaphor is apt, and powerful: just as fire and
ice may one day destroy the external, physical world, desire and hate
destroy the internal, spiritual one. Very gnomic, and very Frost.
thomas.
[Minstrels Links]
Other poems by Robert Frost:
Poem #730, "Mending Wall"
Poem #681, "The Secret Sits"
Poem #336, "A Patch of Old Snow"
Poem #170, "The Need of Being Versed in Country Things"
Poem #155, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
Poem #51, "The Road Not Taken "
The last of these has a biography and lots of critical notes.
From: Yvette R Sangiorgio <yvetters@>
I would like to submit another interpretation of Robert Frost's poem, "Fire
and Ice." Just as fire and ice are opposites, so is desire, or lust, born
of fire, and hate, born out of ice, a coldness and lack of feeling or
caring. Frost presents us with contradictory images. Both emotions are
extremes of love, not merely spiritual love, but the love of humans, of
humanity. Both of these extremes destroy the soul of humanity and the
individual, and the metaphors of fire and ice fit. The beauty of the poem
is revealed when Frost unifies two opposites into a coherent form to make
us understand their connection.
From: SO1227@
Years ago while in high school, my literature book had a page with this poem
on it.
I have always loved it, but could not remember the author.
I graduated in 1963 and have never forgotten this poem. It just said so much.
I've quoted it to people over the years and most people just kind of make a
face as if it's a morbid thought. But to me it's pure human nature, it says
it all.
Just recently I was watching TV and the very first part of the poem was
quoted for a new series, which at this moment I can't even remember what the
series name is.
But the minute the actor said "Some say the world," I quoted the rest with
him and nearly fell of my chair because I've never found one person who knew
this poem.
Anyway thank heaven I found out the author and I'll always love it.
From: Abid Nimer <megaabid2000@>
This poem describes the similarities between fire and desire, and between ice and hate. Fire is always changing, wanting more [to burn], as does desire, yet ice is cold and hard, always staying the same, as is hate.
From: XxSweeTyJ1xX@
I love this poem. After my class finished "The Outsiders", my English teacher
recited part of this poem to us, since it was also by Robert Frost. I found
it so wonderful, that as soon as I got home, I went and looked it up, and
memorized it. It's really great how Robert Frost could talk about things such as
loyalty, hate, and desire, yet use words like "fire and ice." It takes a real
genious to do this.
From: <weixiyen@>
My interpretation of this poem is that it DOESN'T MATTER if the world
ends in fire or ice. It will end so stop thinking about it.
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/779.html
Weixi Yen
From: "MAtt THe MAn" <monkiezexist@>
i need help with explicating this poem. i have a two page paper due at 6
From: Mafkari69@
Hello;
Would you please e-mail your description about "Fire and Ice" for me?
From: ConfusedGuy666@
Ummm... I dont know if I'm doing the right place for comments on this poem or
not, but I think that fire and ice is symbolic, saying taht fire is desire
and ice is like a hatred. Two complete opposites taht could come together for
one cause of evil.
From: "TOM TORTCH" <PYROPHILIA@>
The temporal element to "Fire and Ice" appeals to me. Fire is rapid and
consuming. It leaves only ashes. Freezing, on the other hand, is slow
and stagnant. It leaves all; but can't
progress. In the end it doesn't matter because dead is dead. The choice
is yours."Is it better to burn-out or to fade away?"
From: "Scott Johnston" <scottjohnston@>
Does anyone see the irony of this poem besides me? I see that the authors
last name is FROST certainly this could have been a play against his own
name could it not?
From: Kris Snow <krisnow@>
A great poem by Robert Frost. I have always liked this one. Reading it
"feels" good, the way it flows. And it was nice reading so many comments
on it. I particularly liked the one by Tom Tortch.....about the temporal
element in this poem. Burn out or fade away? I know which I personally
would pick! The poem is about extremes....in emotions, in elements...but
either way, leaving no doubt in your mind where you end up.
Kris
From: "Barb Kryger" <bkryger@>
A stunning poem. The images, the simplicity and the meaning of the poem
makes it, in my opinion, Frost's best. Perhaps he is arguing that desire
and hate can both be just as damaging. Think Hitler- his evil was
propelled by the two forces. Desire for power and hate of other, like
Jews.
S.
From: RkA796@
This poem is qite good. it has short lines but it is somehow effective iam
only 15 i cant say iam into peotry but i find it quite good its intresting
and i was wondering if anyone has a poem about hate its a school homework if
yes pls mail me at _rosedelaclair@
(mailto:rosedelaclair@)
thanx!
From: "leftwithoutlight" <leftwithoutlight@>
I believe that Frost's Fire and Ice is truely a unique and fantastic
display of poetic excellence.
The fire aspect of his poem is love, relating to religious beliefs. The
apocolypse, the rapture, the coming to an end by consumption of such a
pure love that all the evil, which is the world, can not exist.
In line 3 to 4, Frost says that with his experiences of love, he would
much rather it end in love.
But then Frost takes a reverse and states that if the world had to die
twice, he'd wish the second time to be from ice, hate, the scientific
beliefs of a super nova sun that would freeze the earth over.
The word "suffice" in his final line is a weak word, and I believe he
does this on purpose, for how can hate just suffice (be just enough to
do the job)? There are many words he could have used in its place, but
I believe he created a weakness on purpose. It adds to the reality of
it all.
Frost, whether you agree with my interpretation of Fire and Ice or not,
is an astouding poet with a beautiful talent for turning ordinary words
into a passionate army of feelings and ideas.
-Matt Maxwell
From: "Ryan" <mtbike96@>
im so sorry about before, oh wait, no im not. I love you. Let me show
you something...
....
.....
.......
........
.........
.............
.........
.......
.....
...
..
._____________________________
____________________________
___________________________
__________________________
_________________________
________________________
_______________________
your so stupid, i can't believed u looked.
hahaha
your lover
George Wilbert
From: "Ryan Jones" <ryan.jones@>
I've enjoyed everyone's comments. I agree with many of you that Frost
is showing that fire (aggression/hate/anger) and ice (apathy, inaction)
are equally effective at destroying mankind.
What I like to do with poems, is initially read them very quickly with
no analyzing. And just try to get a feeling for the tone. Then I like to
go back and find the imagery/symbolism/etc,. This helps me, I hope it
helps you.
From: "creighton" <ctbrown@>
Nice poem its cool,but the ice is desire not the fire and the hate is
ice.
Abid Nimmer got it all wrong.
From: ZKarDav@
Evaluating the poem titled =E2=80=9CFire and Ice=E2=80=9D, which was written by Robert
Frost, seems to show two ways in which the world can end the first being fire and
second being ice. I believe he is using fire as an example of war and how war
destroys everything leaving only memories and ashes behind just like fire
does. I believe ice is used in this poem as an example of peace, because peace
would cause the human race to over populate the world and use up its resources
and leave you with nothing no plants, no trees, and no air leaving you with=20no
life do to the suffocation of people and the suffocation of having no
resources like air.
From: thomas.tatro@ Mon Jul 4 02:37:02 2005
I'm not entirely sure Mr. Frost has written about the world (Earth)
ending. I believe with this poem he has brought us a much more personal
apocalypse. For those of you out there who have been in love, you have
certainly felt the desire, the burning aggression to be loved in return.
You sacrifice the rest of the world as you know it for the object of
your affection. In some cases, every other relationship you have, i.e.
friends and family, suffers because of your love.
If you have experienced the kind of all consuming passion I'm writing
about, then you've also probably felt the bitter disappointment and
regret of love unrequited. When you bear your soul to another person
with those three little words "I Love You", and nothing is returned, or
perhaps a worse scenario, your world ends. For a split second, nothing
exists at all. No warmth, no compassion, only hatred and confusion.
Nothing is colder than being told you're not worth loving.
I for one agree with Mr. Frost. It's important to understand that once
that pillar of lust and devotion has consumed you, there's nothing left
to start over with. Your world has effectively ended. However, if it
had to be done twice, ice is just as nice, because there's still
something left to begin again. Sure you may just be an icy husk,
wandering through a half-life for a little while, but some other Sun
will orbit near you and warm you up again.
Thank you Robert Frost for this amazing piece of work.
SrA T. Tatro
USAF
From: Tara9121@
Can someone write a parody of this poem roughly using the same rhyme scheme?
It would be greatly appreciated! I'm doing an assignment of writing a parody
and I need an example. (Don't worry your not doing my work, I need to write it
to a different poem, I just want an example... I love this poem)
From: Hanvol@
I admit that I love Frost's poem about Fire and Ice. This brings to mind the
idiotic story of the flood recorded in the Bible and the origin of the
rainbow. Even if I take the Biblical story as fact, not the fiction it is, what
does the rainbow truly signify. All it signifies is God's promise not to destroy
the world by flood again. Gee, what a swell guy. All God is saying here is
"Well, I promise not to use flood again to destroy the world if and when I get
pissed off at humanity, I'll just have to use some other method, perhaps
fire and ice, or asteroidal collision. Now that's a good one, got rid of the
dinosaurs did it? Maybe I shoulld have finished the job the first time."
Bertrand Russell wrote "The world in which we live can be understood as a result of
muddle and accident; but if it is the outcome of deliberate purpose, the
purpose must have been that of a fiend."
From: "The Wilds" <thewilds@>
What is the difference in tone between this poem and "Earth" by John
Hall Wheelock
Please Email me
From: swwoodcock <swwoodcock@>
Yes my comment. I agree with most. The term fire and desire fit nicely togeather. But they also complement each other. I also can see were friged hate and extrem dislike complement ice. Love the poem.
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yes my comment. I agree with most. The term
fire and desire fit nicely togeather. But they also complement each
other. I also can see were friged hate and extrem dislike complement ice.
Love the poem.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
--Boundary_(ID_1fx5iYSSixjB0NAWTZehyQ)--
From: "O.Kerns" <okerns@>
FIRE AND ICE
Some say tha world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what Ive tasted of desire
I hold wit those who favor fire.
But if it had ta perish twice,
I thiznink I kizzy enough of hate
To say tizzy fo` destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
-- Robert Frost
From: "Tait" <tait_gale8@>
I just want to say that I love this poem. I am only 16, but i feel that
I have a good understanding, or just my interperatation, of what the
poem is trying to say. I love how he uses two complete opposites, fire
and ice, desire and hate, and show that no matter what way we look at
it, the world is going to end. I think that the desire is talking about
how we all wish that there is something else after this life and in
order to find out for sure if there is something, we will have to die.
I think that Robert, on some level, is spirtual. He wants to believe
that maybe there is something else beyond this life, and dieing wouldnt
be so bad. I think that he would rather end "his" world in "fire",
beliveing that there is something else to go onto, but, dieing in hate,
perhaps a war, wouldnt be so bad either.
From: Matthew Wala <mwala@>
From: Lexluth68@
i always thought that fire would represent war and ice, natural causes.
ah
From: Chris Cloke <cobaltie@>
"Sometimes I think my mind is fire.
Sometimes ice.
From what I've tasted of creation,
I often crave self-immolation.
But if I had to crumble twice,
To chance a stagnant mental state,
On learning how to melt the ice...
The risk is great,
But would suffice. "
-(remixing Frost)
From: HABO@ Thu Jan 19 06:39:28 2006
when dit it perish the first time?
Harald, Norway jan 06
tlf 77621216, mob 90547196
From: "Tanner H. Johnson" <thjohnson@>
Ok, i have read the comments on this poem out of bordem, i dont know if
anyone still looks at these comments, but i read this poem for the first
time like a week ago, and it obviously isnt about good and evil causing
a greater evil or whatever it was someone said. He is saying that the
wold is going to end in a nuclear war[fire] and if the nukes itself dont
destroy the world, Nuclear winter[ice] is going to finish it off.
From: Applebottmz2008@
this poem was def. a great one I found out about it in my English 1 class
when I had this teacher named Miss Rini and I thank her because if it wasn't
for her I wouldn't have found about this great poem
From: "Sam Milito" <smilito@>
Come on, nuclear war? That is utterly and completely rediculous.
Like somebody previously said, it is about both real and inner problems,
but mainly inner.
And, to other people, Fire " Desire, Ice " Hate.
Just to clarify.
But I don't know where he got this from.
Its not like he really led a pathetic, heart wrenching,
suicidal depression inducing crummy husk
of a life.