And then we saw him bolt. We heard the miniature thunder where he fled, And we saw him, or thought we saw him, dim and gray, Like a shadow across instead of behind the flakes.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker sees a fleeting, shadowy figure moving like a storm, hinting at an ominous, perhaps supernatural presence.
- In plain terms
- A shadowy figure moves like a storm, suggesting something ominous.
- What can you take from it?
- Be alert to fleeting signs that may signal larger threats.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What does the shadow represent?
- How does the storm metaphor affect tension?
Another view
The description is ambiguous, leaving meaning open.
More from Robert Frost
The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I had rued.
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