The document provides an analysis of the poem "Dust of Snow" by Robert Frost. It summarizes the key details of the poem, including that the poet experiences a change in mood from bad to happier when a crow shakes snow from a hemlock tree onto him. The document also analyzes the rhyme scheme and literary devices used in the poem such as alliteration and enjambment. It concludes by posing questions about the poem's themes and symbolism.

1. Dust of Snow
Mrinal Ghosh, PGT (English)
Directorate of Secondary Education,
Govt. Of Tripura (India)
CBSE Class X English Poem: 1

2. About the Poet: Robert Lee Frost
• Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. His
work was initially published in England before
it was published in America.
• Born: 26 March, 1874
• Died: 29 January, 1963

3. Poem in brief:
• The short poem by Robert Frost throws light upon
the unimaginable healing power of nature and tiny
things. From a bad mood to ill-health, there is
nothing that can’t be cured by nature. The author
was experiencing one such bad day when a crow’s
movement near a hemlock tree dusted snow upon
him. The snow instantly makes him happier.

4. Poem in brief:
• His day gets a lot better. Thus, the supremacy of
nature as a whole made him realize how petty his
problem was.
• The fact that hemlock tree is poisonous combined
with crow being the indicator of doom and fear are
used in the poem as the carriers of happiness in the
life of narrator is ironical.

5. Poem in brief:
• The poet, through these
objects has tried to
highlight that sometimes
creatures linked with
negative aspects of life
can be the bringer of
change and happiness.

6. Poem in brief:
• Being outdoors in nature, with all its
unpredictability can benefit anyone,
anywhere at any time.

7. Rhyme scheme & Literary Devices used:
Rhyme Scheme- abab cdcd
• Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or
sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely
connected words.
The instances of alliteration are as follows-
Has given my heart
And saved some part

8. Literary Devices used:
• Inversion - when the structure of a sentence is
changed by the poet to create rhyme, this poetic
license is called inversion. In stanza 1, inversion can
be seen.
• Assonance - the prominence of a vowel sound
throughout a line is called assonance. In stanza 1,
line 2 - “Shook down on me” - ‘o’ sound is
prominent.

9. Literary Devices used:
• Enjambment - when the same sentence continues to
the next line without the use of any punctuation
marks, it is called enjambment. It has been used
throughout the poem.

10. Questions to prepare:
• Why was the poet sitting under the
Hemlock tree?
• What change of mood did the poet
experience?
• Describe the setting of the poem.
• Explain the symbolism in the poem.