'Ax -helve, The' by Robert Lee Frost
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I’ve known ere now an interfering branch
Of alder catch my lifted ax behind me.
But that was in the woods, to hold my hand
From striking at another alder’s roots,
And that was, as I say, an alder branch.
This was a man, Baptiste, who stole one day
Behind me on the snow in my own yard
Where I was working at the chopping-block,
And cutting nothing not cut down already.
He caught my ax expertly on the rise,
When all my strength put forth was in his favor,
Held it a moment where it was, to calm me,
Then took it from me—and I let him take it.
I didn’t know him well enough to know
What it was all about. There might be something
He had in mind to say to a bad neighbor
He might prefer to say to him disarmed.
But all he had to tell me in French-English
Was what he thought of—not me, but my ax,
Me only as I took my ax to heart.
It was the bad ax-helve someone had sold me—
“Made on machine,” he said, plowing the grain
With a think thumbnail to show how it ran
Across the handle’s long-drawn serpentine—
Like the two strokes across a dollar sign.
“You give her one good crack, she’s snap raght off.
Den where’s your hax-ead flying t’rough de hair?”
Admitted; and yet, what was that to him?
“Come on my house and I put you one in
What’s las’ awhile—good hick’ry what’s grow crooked.
De second growt’ I cut myself—tough, tough!”
Something to sell? That wasn’t how it sounded.
“Den when you say you come? It’s cost you nothing.
Tonaght?
As well tonight as any night.
Beyond an over-warmth of kitchen stove
My welcome differed from no other welcome.
Baptiste knew best why I was where I was.
So long as he would leave enough unsaid,
I shouldn’t mind his being overjoyed
(If overjoyed he was) at having got me
Where I must judge if what he knew about an ax
That not everybody else knew was to count
For nothing in the measure of a neighbor.
Hard if, though cast away for life ’mid Yankees,
A Frenchman couldn’t get his human rating!
Mrs. Baptiste came in and rocked a chair
That had as many motions as the world:
One back and forward, in and out of shadow,
That got her nowhere; one more gradual,
Sideways, that would have run her on the stove
In time, had she not realized her danger
And caught herself up bodily, chair and all,
And set herself back where she started from.
“She ain’t spick too much Henglish—dat’s too bad.”
I was afraid, in brightening first on me,
Then on Baptiste, as if she understood
What passed between us, she was only feigning.
Baptiste was anxious for her; but no more
Than for himself, so placed he couldn’t hope
To keep his bargain of the morning with me
In time to keep me from suspecting him
Of really never having meant to keep it.
Needlessly soon he had his ax-helves out,
A quiverful to choose from, since he wished me
To have the best he had, or had to spare—
Not for me to ask which, when what he took
Had beauties he had to point me out at length
To insure their not being wasted on me.
He liked to have it slender as a whipstock,
Free from the least knot, equal to the strain
Of bending like a sword across the knee.
He showed me that the lines of a good helve
Were native to the grain before the knife
Expressed them, and its curves were no false curves
Put on it from without. And there its strength lay
For the hard work. He chafed its long white body
From end to end with his rough hand shut round it.
He tried it at the eye-hole in the ax-head.
“Hahn, hahn,” he mused, “don’t need much taking down.”
Baptiste knew how to make a short job long
For love of it, and yet not waste time either.
Do you know, what we talked about was knowledge?
Baptiste on his defense about the children
He kept from school, or did his best to keep—
Whatever school and children and our doubts
Of laid-on education had to do
With the curves of his ax-helves and his having
Used these unscrupulously to bring me
To see for once the inside of his house.
Was I desired in friendship, partly as someone
To leave it to, whether the right to hold
Such doubts of education should depend
Upon the education of those who held them?
But now he brushed the shavings from his knee
And stood the ax there on its horse’s hoof,
Erect, but not without its waves, as when
The snake stood up for evil in the Garden,—
Top-heavy with a heaviness his short,
Thick hand made light of, steel-blue chin drawn down
And in a little—a French touch in that.
Baptiste drew back and squinted at it, pleased;
“See how she’s cock her head!”
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Brilliance of Robert Frost's "The Ax-Helve"
When it comes to American poetry, Robert Frost stands tall. His poetry is often read and analyzed, with each piece offering a new perspective or layer of meaning. One such poem is "The Ax-Helve." At first glance, it may seem like a simple poem about a man carving an ax handle, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Frost is exploring much deeper themes.
The Creation of the Ax-Helve
The poem begins with the speaker describing the process of creating an ax-helve. He talks about how the wood needs to be straight and how it needs to be shaped in a certain way for the ax to fit properly. It's clear that the speaker knows what he's doing, and we can almost feel the satisfaction that comes from working with one's hands to create something useful.
But as we move further into the poem, we see that there's more to the creation of the ax-helve than just practicality. The speaker talks about how the wood needs to be "strained through the tree" and how it needs to be "toughened in the smoke." These lines suggest that the wood needs to go through a process of transformation before it can become a useful tool. This idea of transformation will become important later in the poem.
The Importance of Tradition
As the speaker continues to work on the ax-helve, he talks about how his father did the same thing before him. He talks about how his father used to say that "good work ain't cheap," suggesting that there's a sense of pride and importance in doing things the right way.
This idea of tradition and passing down knowledge and skills from one generation to the next is a theme that Frost explores in many of his poems. Here, he's suggesting that there's value in doing things the old-fashioned way, even if it's more time-consuming or difficult.
The Importance of Hard Work
The speaker takes great pride in his work and talks about how he wants to make the ax-helve "better than what [he] could buy in any store." This dedication to hard work is something that Frost often explores in his poetry. He believes that there's value in doing things oneself and taking the time to create something that's of high quality.
But there's also a sense of humility in the speaker's words. He talks about how he's not "the best of swinge-makers," but he's still dedicated to doing his best. This idea of doing the best you can with what you have is something that's echoed throughout Frost's poetry.
The Transformation of the Ax-Helve
As the speaker finishes the ax-helve, he talks about how it's gone through a transformation. He describes how the wood has gone from being "gnarled and knotty" to being "straightened and smoothed and slit to the pith." This transformation is symbolic of the speaker himself, who has also gone through a process of transformation as he's worked on the ax-helve.
But the transformation doesn't end there. The speaker takes the ax-helve outside and tests it out on a log. As he chops, he talks about how the ax-helve has become an extension of himself, how it's "as good as singing." This idea of the ax-helve being an extension of the self is something that's echoed throughout the poem, and it's clear that the speaker takes great pride in his work.
The Importance of Self-Reliance
At its core, "The Ax-Helve" is a poem about self-reliance. The speaker takes pride in his ability to create something useful with his own two hands, and he takes great satisfaction in knowing that he's done a good job.
But it's not just about the act of creation. It's also about the idea that we can take care of ourselves if we're willing to put in the work. This idea of self-reliance is something that's echoed throughout Frost's poetry, and it's clear that he believes that there's value in being able to take care of oneself.
Conclusion
"The Ax-Helve" is a poem that seems simple on the surface but is full of deeper meaning. Frost explores themes such as tradition, hard work, transformation, and self-reliance, all of which are important to understanding the poem's significance.
As we read the poem, we can almost feel the satisfaction that comes from working with our hands to create something that's useful and of high quality. Frost's words remind us that there's value in doing things the old-fashioned way, and that there's pride to be taken in knowing that we can take care of ourselves if we're willing to put in the work.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Robert Lee Frost is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, and his works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. One of his most famous poems is "The Ax-Helve," a powerful and evocative piece that explores themes of labor, craftsmanship, and the human relationship with nature. In this 2000-word analysis, we will delve deep into the poem's meaning, structure, and language, and explore why it continues to resonate with readers over a century after it was first published.
The poem opens with a vivid and striking image: "I've known ere now an interfering branch / Of alder catch my lifted ax behind me." This opening line immediately sets the tone for the poem, establishing a sense of struggle and conflict between the speaker and the natural world. The use of the word "interfering" suggests that the branch is an obstacle or hindrance to the speaker's work, and the phrase "catch my lifted ax behind me" creates a sense of danger and tension. The reader can almost feel the weight of the ax and the force with which it was swung, and the sudden interruption of the branch creates a jarring and unsettling moment.
As the poem continues, the speaker reflects on the process of crafting an ax-helve, or handle, from a piece of wood. He describes the various steps involved in shaping the wood, from "whittling" and "paring" to "shaving" and "scraping." These words create a sense of precision and care, suggesting that the speaker takes great pride in his work and is dedicated to creating a high-quality product. The repetition of the word "and" in these lines also creates a sense of rhythm and momentum, as if the speaker is describing a process that is both methodical and satisfying.
However, the poem also contains moments of frustration and difficulty. The speaker notes that "the wood was green and wouldn't properly dry," which made it harder to work with and resulted in a less-than-perfect finished product. This line suggests that even the most skilled craftsman can be thwarted by the unpredictability of nature, and that sometimes even the best-laid plans can go awry. The use of the word "properly" also suggests that the speaker has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve, and that he is disappointed when he falls short of that goal.
Throughout the poem, Frost uses language that is both simple and evocative, creating vivid images that bring the reader into the world of the poem. For example, he describes the wood as "knotty," "gnarled," and "crooked," words that suggest a sense of roughness and imperfection. These words also create a sense of the wood's naturalness and wildness, as if it is a product of the untamed wilderness rather than something that has been carefully cultivated or manufactured.
The poem also contains moments of introspection and reflection, as the speaker considers the larger implications of his work. He notes that "what was once a rod / And then cut out in little stars / Is ripe for overthrowing from within." This line suggests that even the most solid and well-crafted object is ultimately vulnerable to decay and destruction, and that nothing lasts forever. The use of the word "overthrowing" also creates a sense of violence and upheaval, as if the ax-helve is being toppled from its position of power and authority.
As the poem draws to a close, the speaker reflects on the larger meaning of his work, noting that "it's when I'm weary of considerations, / And life is too much like a pathless wood / Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs / Broken across it, and one eye is weeping / From a twig's having lashed across it open." This passage creates a sense of exhaustion and weariness, as if the speaker has been working tirelessly for hours on end. The use of the metaphor of the "pathless wood" also suggests a sense of confusion and disorientation, as if the speaker is lost in a world that is both beautiful and dangerous.
Overall, "The Ax-Helve" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores themes of labor, craftsmanship, and the human relationship with nature. Through its vivid imagery, simple language, and introspective tone, the poem creates a sense of struggle and conflict between the speaker and the natural world, while also celebrating the beauty and power of human creativity and ingenuity. Whether read as a meditation on the nature of work and craftsmanship, or as a reflection on the larger meaning of life and mortality, "The Ax-Helve" remains a timeless and powerful work of poetry that continues to inspire and captivate readers to this day.
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