Fire and Ice

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1920

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Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Further Reading & Resources

Related Poems

“[the cry of the cicada]” by Matsuo Basho

Matching “Fire and Ice” in both apocalyptic theme and brevity, “the cry of the cicada” comes to Western audiences from the Japanese tradition. The famous and highly anthologized Japanese poet Matsuo Basho composed the poem. Basho gained recognition for his use of haiku form, and he traveled, documenting his experiences in the haibun form. The poem’s brevity reflects the brevity of life. The poem’s speaker acknowledges that the end of the world is unknown and most likely will come when humanity least expects it. Humanity may not even find the signs of the end times in nature. The poem relies on natural imagery like cicadas, as well as their ignorance of their existence, to communicate the futility of existence.

“This is Not a Small Voice” by Sonia Sanchez (1995)

Drawing on the racial tensions in America, this Sonia Sanchez poem incorporates repetition in order to move not only the poem itself, but also its message. During the 1960s, Sanchez was an integrationist, but after following Malcolm X, Sanchez began approaching her poetry from a separatist point of view. Like the speaker in Frost’s “Fire and Ice,” the speaker of “This is Not a Small Voice” incorporates natural imagery and personal reflection to connect with the audience. The poem also uses a variety of line lengths in order to create narrative voice. Like “Fire and Ice,” the poem opens with a long line and eventually transitions to a blunt, clipped conclusion that relies on two words to involve the audience.

“At Woodward’s Garden” by Robert Frost (1936)

Another Frost poem, “At Woodward's Garden” is a brief poem consisting of only 11 lines. Like “Fire and Ice,” it relies on repetition and natural imagery. A narrative poem that does not rely on rhyme, the poem shares the story about a young intellectual who shares an intellectual experience with two monkeys even though the monkeys cannot understand the experience. This poem, like “Fire and Ice,” focuses on humanity’s destructive nature. It also warns about humanity’s ability to manipulate and control nature, primarily not for the better or for nature’s benefit. It shares a meditative tone with “Fire and Ice” and advocates that humankind must find balance not only in itself but with nature to find peace.

Further Literary Resources

“The Southernness of Robert Frost” by Mark Royden Winchell (2011)

In this article, retired Clemson University professor Mark Royden Winchell discusses Frost’s poetry in the context of an ever-changing America. The article considers Frost’s Southern heritage as the son of Will Frost, who during The War Between the States ran away in order to enlist in the Confederate Army under Robert E. Lee. His father’s influence would lead Frost to become a lifelong states’-rights Democrat who would declare that Cleveland was the last president he fully approved of. Winchell discusses immigration, Frost’s political poetry, and Frost’s political connections, including Frost’s views on Liberalism. The article also includes insights from Frost’s closest friends, who described him not “as a typical conservative but an agrarian freethinker” and a “democrat with a small ‘d.’”

“Meeting the Agony: Three Poems of the Twentieth Century” by Baron Wormser (2008)

In this article, author Baron Wormser considers Frost’s “Fire and Ice” in not only the context of other poets such as W. H. Auden, but also the frame of pre-World War II and World War II global and American history. The apocalypse is the thread tying Auden and Frost’s work together. The author then examines Frost and Auden’s work in their similarities to that of Adam Zagajewski. Again, the common literary theme for the poems is the apocalypse. Wormser then argues that “Historical events and apocalyptic prospects dwarf any individual, but mankind remains a sea of individuals, not a mass.” The article asserts the importance and necessity of poetry’s honesty and openness during history’s most frightening moments.

“Listen to Robert Frost Read His Poems” by Marissa Fessenden (2016)

In this article, freelance writer and artist Marissa Fessenden explores the power that hearing a poem in a poet’s own voice holds and the emotions it can ignite. Hearing the poem allows listeners to reevaluate their original interpretations of the poem, as well as the poet. Fessenden listens to “Mending Wall,” and they discover Frost’s accusatory tone. The author explores other poems on the Frost playlist, including “Fire and Ice,” “Birches,” and “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” The article links to the playlist so that readers can take their own turn listening to the famous poet.

Listen to Poem

Robert Frost Reads “Fire and Ice”

Listen to Robert Frost give a powerful reading of “Fire and Ice.”

Related Titles

By Robert Frost

Study Guide

Acquainted with the Night