Unique Senses of Place in Poetry by Edward Thomas and Robert Frost

Both Edward Thomas and Robert Frost explore many poems where they describe a place which would transport the reader to a specific scene that implies that this place is somewhat important to the poet.

Edward Thomas’ poem, ‘Adlestrop’ describes where he witnessed a place for only a few moments as his train stopped at a station, named ‘Adlestrop’. Adlestrop is a small rural parish on the eastern border of Gloucestershire, and it is very well-known for its countryside and walks.

This poem begins with the line “Yes, I remember Adlestrop”; this leads us to believe that someone may have asked him if he knew this place and also creates a conversational feel of the poem to intrigue the reader to find out how exactly he did remember Adlestrop.

This poem is written in first person and gives a personal sense to the poem as it is their own experience. ‘Adlestrop’ is written in the four-lined octosyllabic stanza rhyming of ABCB.

The tone of this poem is very reflective and thoughtful as the narrator thinks back to his experience with Adlestrop.

In the first two stanzas Thomas concentrates more on the human aspects of ‘Adlestrop’. The pause after the word ‘Adlestrop’ in the first line and the shortness of the last sentence of that stanza both add emphasis to these facts. The caesura in the last line makes this memory of the express train stopping more memorable as if is just all came back to the narrator that it was late June. The narrator in stanza two describes the ‘bareness’ of the platform and the unusualness of how no-one came onto or off the train which again makes the reader think of why this train stopped. By giving the specific detail of the person clearing their throat on the train the reader can imagine vividly how empty the s...

... middle of paper ...

...t here it is used as positive and has warmth to it as if it was inviting.

The last two lines of this stanza “And miles to go before I sleep…” are repeated to emphasise how far he has to go and the tiredness he feels. The reader is aware of his regretful and weary tone in this last stanza. These two lines can symbolise a very dark meaning behind this poem. The “miles” could indicate his life and the “sleep” could represent death itself.

This does not only have to mean that he is talking about himself but all human life and how brief it is.

In conclusion I feel that both Edwards and Frost portray a sense of place very unique and personal to them. I personally feel that Edwards illustrates a more straightforward view of what he wishes to show the reader but I think Frost describes a more beautiful scene and I think the different meanings keep this poem interesting.