A ROADSIDE STAND

ROBERT FROST

About the Poet: Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic
depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently
employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to
examine complex social and philosophical themes. A popular and often-quoted poet, Frost was
honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
“A Road Not Taken”, “Mending Wall”, “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “Birches” are
some of his most famous poems.

About the Poem

A roadside stand is a poem written by the highly-acclaimed poet, Robert Frost who is regarded for
his realistic depiction of rural life using which he touched several difficult social themes of the time.

In this poem, the poet highlights the plight of the deprived villagers who are aching for some money
to lead a prosperous life. The poet is also very critical of the way the city folks treat these villagers
who are selling their locally produced goods and whizzing past them without a sense of empathy.

Lines 1-6

The occupants of the little old house have extended the shed in front, around the edge of the road
where traffic passes by. Though it would be unfair to state that the shack-owners wanted a charity
of bread, but nevertheless they seemed to implore the passers-by to stop and buy something from
the shack. These deprived people long for the feel of the currency, the circulation of which flourishes
the city folks.

Lines 7-15

But unfortunately, the refined traffic whizzed past, unmindful of the shack. Or, if by chance, any
stopped, it would be with a feeling of reproach at this blot on the picturesque landscape. They are
very perturbed to see the unimpressive and toppled up signboards. The shack offered for sale wild
berries in a wooden quart (quarter of a gallon). The unqualitative local produce is highlighted with
the usage of words like "crook-necked", "squash with silver warts".

The place also offered a blissful stay in the lap of nature for the ones who had money. Angry at the
callous attitude of the so-called ‘polished traffic‘, the poet commands them to move ahead oblivious
of the road-side stand.

Lines 16-22
The poet’s concern is not about the blemish on the landscape but regarding the unvented sorrow of
the shed-owners. Expressing the view point of these people, the poet converts their ardent desire to
handle some city money, which may perhaps alleviate their sufferings as sometimes promised in
movies. The political party in power actually deprive them of a prosperous life.

Lines 23-31

The poet quotes the news which highlights the evacuation and relocation of the poor villagers to the
vicinity of the theaters and the shops. Tall promises have been made to take good care of them.
Outraged at the negligent attitude of the civic authorities, government and even social service
agencies, the poet addresses them as "greedy good-doers" apparently benefactors but actually
"beasts of prey" who exploit the innocent village folk by giving them a short term sense of security,
the villagers are not being helped but harmed.

They pay a heavy price by losing their land. These developers, civic authorities, with a calculative
strategy "soothe" (silence) and befool the unalloyed heart and minds of these villagers. By ensuring
them a better life and hence good sleep, they actually sleep peacefully themselves and destroy their
slumber with anxiety. In the ancient way, people used to work during day and sleep in nights which
has been reversed here where they are not able to sleep at night because they haven’t worked in
the day.

Lines 32-43

The poet is distressed to note the interminable wait on the part of the shed owners for their
prospective buyers, he calls it almost a "childish longing in vain". The shop window is blanketed with
an ambience of sadness that surrounds expectancy. It seems these people yearn for the sound of the
car brakes near the shack.

One of the "selfish cars" that pass by the shed has perhaps halted to enquire the "farmer’s price"
while the other just wanted to use the backyard to turn. It’s indeed a satire that one of the
occupants of the car stops at the shed to get a gallon of gas. It highlights a sense of alienation that
exists between the rural and urban life. Unaware of the villagers plights and engrossed with the
pleasure of the material world, these people are unable to gauge the glaring difference in city and
rural life.

Lines 43-52

The poet regrets that the yardstick of gain vested in money, isn’t found in the country-side at all.
Money he feels elevates spirits and the lack of it dampens the villagers’ perspective towards life.
They tend to express their grievance about a life bereft of money. At this point of time, the poet is
overwhelmed with emotions and contemplates their pain at one go by changing their lives. But a
later logical thought and a poised state of mind tells him the futility of this rash act. It might compel
him to seek purgation of pain from others for his thoughtless decision.
ANALYSIS: The rhyme scheme of the poem is abab. A number of poetical devices have been used to
emphasize on the poem’s theme.

Transferred Epithet:
There are two examples of transferred epithet in “A Roadside Stand.”
1. ‘polished traffic’ referring to the city dwellers who pass by the countryside and sometimes they
take out a moment to scrutinize the surroundings around them.
2. ‘Selfish cars’ is yet another use of a transferred epithet. This refers to the car owners who do stop
at the roadside stand but to ask about the police or the gas stations.

Personification:
“the sadness that lurks behind the open window there…” where sadness is an example of
personification. Sadness dwells in the windows of the farmers because they wait for cars to stop and
make a purchase.

Alliteration and Oxymoron: ‘Greedy good doers’ and ‘beneficent beasts of prey’ are examples of
both alliteration and oxymoron.

Extra Questions

1. Why is it unfair to say that these people are begging for a ‘dole of bread’?
2. What do you understand by ‘polished traffic’?
3. What is meant by ‘out of sorts’? Why do the people in the cars feel ‘out of sorts’?
4. What is up for sale in the roadside stand?
5. Why do the owners of the shed feel a sense of outrage?
6. What is the plea of the folks at the roadside stand?
7. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘in vain’?
8. Who is ‘the flower of cities’? Why have they been referred so?
9. ‘The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint’, say Robert Frost. What is his real
complaint?
10. What is the news being spread around?
11. Who will soothe the rural poor ‘out of their wits’ and how?
12. Who does the poet accuse of having double standards and why?
13. What is implied by ‘teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day’?
14. Explain- ‘Destroy their sleep the ancient way’.