Famous Sad Poem

A poem about the end of days, when the world will end by either fire or ice. "Fire and Ice" is one of Robert Frost's most popular poems. It was first published in 1920 in Harper's Magazine.

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Robert Frost is a poet of great repute. It is not within our jurisdiction to comment on such a literary giant. However, in view of your invitation, I would say that he might have been in...

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Famous Poem

Fire And Ice

By Robert Frost more Robert Frost

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.

more Robert Frost

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Has this poem touched you? Share your story!

by Subhash Bansal
4 years ago

Robert Frost is a poet of great repute. It is not within our jurisdiction to comment on such a literary giant. However, in view of your invitation, I would say that he might have been in state of acute depression at the time of writing this poem. l wonder, why did he think of end, fire and ice. I would have felt delighted had he talked of bright future, peace and growth of mankind.

I feel literature should kindle hope, enthusiasm and bliss. It should guide the readers to find means to achieve peace and harmony in the world. Neither all is well, nor it is totally helpless. It depends upon the individual what kind of attitude does he adopt. I am reminded of an old saying that beauty lies in beholder's eyes. I like this saying and agree one hundred percent. With due regards to my favourite poet.

by Steven Klepeis
2 years ago

Even in something so mundane as the insurance business, "should" and "did" are important distinctions. What we think a poet should do, and what a poem did do, together define the letting go of the old ways of thinking and embracing the new, which is embracing reality and change.

To Frost, as the poem shows, the question of how the world will end is not the question, and was perhaps laughable to Frost and so fit to be used as a vehicle to comment sardonically upon man, us, humans, of which he counts himself as one. To Frost, human nature and in fact all nature is dangerous and bears careful scrutiny, and this is what continues to give his readers valuable food for thought, 100 years or so after.

by Hannahm106.5
7 years ago

This poem represents the world. Fire, by definition means a combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke. And Ice by definition means frozen water, a brittle, transparent crystalline solid. So, Robert Frost says in this poem that the world will either burn and everyone will fight each other, or the world will be cold and bitter, and no one will turn to help you and they will be rude. These are the things that the world struggles with and Robert Frost thinks that one of these things will end the world. Mainly he thinks fire will end the world because people do fight each other very often in the world we live in. But he also thinks the world may end in bitterness and inhospitably places. I have really connected personally to this poem because we live in a world today where people are either uninviting or they will kick you when you are already down for amusement. Thanks.