Ghost House Analysis

I dwell in a lonely house I know

That vanished many a summer ago,

And left no trace but the cellar walls,

And a cellar in which the daylight falls,

And the purple-stemmed wild raspberries grow.



O'er ruined fences the grape-vines shield

The woods come back to the mowing field;

The orchard tree has grown one copse

Of new wood and old where the woodpecker chops;

The footpath down to the well is healed.



I dwell with a strangely aching heart

In that vanished abode there far apart

On that disused and forgotten road

That has no dust-bath now for the toad.

Night comes; the black bats tumble and dart;



The whippoorwill is coming to shout

And hush and cluck and flutter about:

I hear him begin far enough away

Full many a time to say his say

Before he arrives to say it out.



It is under the small, dim, summer star.

I know not who these mute folk are

Who share the unlit place with me--

Those stones out under the low-limbed tree

Doubtless bear names that the mosses mar.



They are tireless folk, but slow and sad,

Though two, close-keeping, are lass and lad,--

With none among them that ever sings,

And yet, in view of how many things,

As sweet companions as might be had.

.: :.

When Robert Frost talks about the ghost house, I believe he is talking about himself and his life.All that is left are the cellar walls. I took this as cellar walls maybe being a haven from the storms. Storms of life. I agree this could be an indication of all he had gone through in the past. He had many losses, parents, children, wife. He himself is barely left standing. He still has some hope as he says daylight falls. Wild raspberries grow.
Im wondering if this may be about someone that has not yet parted however, death is soon to come. He mentions "The whippoorwill is COMING to shout ...". There is a myth in New England that a Whippoorwill senses a soul that is about to depart and captures it as it flees. Again, maybe this is about someone that is about to depart. Possibly his mother who died of cancer. Im agreeing with above about lass and lad being his children. I believe it was his mother since his son died before his wife did. However, the son was around when the grandmother died

| Posted on 2008-07-28 | by a guest

.: :.

When Robert Frost talks about the ghost house, I believe he is talking about himself and his life.All that is left are the cellar walls. I took this as cellar walls maybe being a haven from the storms. Storms of life. I agree this could be an indication of all he had gone through in the past. He had many losses, parents, children, wife. He himself is barely left standing. He still has some hope as he says daylight falls. Wild raspberries grow.
Im wondering if this may be about someone that has not yet parted however, death is soon to come. He mentions "The whippoorwill is COMING to shout ...". There is a myth in New England that a Whippoorwill senses a soul that is about to depart and captures it as it flees. Again, maybe this is about someone that is about to depart. Possibly his mother who died of cancer. Im agreeing with above about lass and lad being his children.

| Posted on 2008-07-28 | by a guest

.: are u a human? :.

this is not a good message . hat all of yall
see ya next year.are moderated before posted.

| Posted on 2008-05-14 | by a guest

.: Ghost House :.

Oh let me just say also, ...and the mute folk are the fact that he didn't listen to his family too well when they were alive. Now that they have passed he wished he had known them better. He realizes that he really doesn't know them as well as he'd thought.

The ruined fences represent his ruined ties with his family. Robert was always going off to work somewhere like colleges to read poetry, and this took a great toll on his family.

I also believe that the black bats represents his sorrow for all that he has done to his family.

Carrie Anne Perez

| Posted on 2006-01-29 | by Approved Guest

.: Ghost House :.

I Believe that the Cellar is the foundation of his life. The house is no longer there. This could mean that his family has passed. He seems to not want to see the truth in this poem. He seems to want to remember only what he wants to. ( for those of you who do not know about his life) His son committed suicide and his daughter was mentally sick. His wife also died way befor him.
I believe the Ghost is his wife and the lass and ladd are his children.
The well healed foot path are his heartaches. He remembers though with the whippoorwill who comes to sing.

| Posted on 2006-01-29 | by Approved Guest