O Hushed October!

INTRODUCTION

No, we are not talking about the 'October Morning' in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, or oil on canvas by Clarice Beckett, also not the one in the Guildhall Art Library and definitely not the slew of music albums called by the same name. But we are talking about October by Robert Frost.

You can read the poem here. 

But do that later, first all attention here!

BEFORE MOVING TO ROBERT FROST

Do you belong to that category of English Graduate who has become all cozy and comfortable with British Literature? Are you experiencing some kind of trepidation in the crossover? Or does Frost reminds you only of 'the woods are lovely dark and deep ' from the ICSE 10th standard English reader?

If you fall in any of the three or even just borderline, you are in the right place.

LET'S DECODE FROST STEP BY STEP

You want to see how he looks? Look, but you won't be able to recall his face. I find his works doing more justice to his memory. 

Now, as you Google the name, the search result has :

1) Wikipedia 

• It tops the list. Why? Because it's comprehensive. 
• The various categories on the page direct you into earlier experiences that shaped him as a poet and a writer
• You can read the themes, the critical response, and cultural influence. On giving a thorough read, you come to know that the Late Prime Minister of India Shri Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru kept his poems at his bedside during the waning years. He was also John F Kennedy's favorite.
• Being the only poet to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry four times, you must know what Pulitzer Prize is!
• Now, before reading about the poem, place the writer against the age. Why? It helps you to understand the fine borrowings from British Literature.

2) Poetry Foundation

• Now, Poetry Foundation is more for a connoisseur of literature and less for a student.
• You can read the introduction as an overview of what Wikipedia has written on Frost. 
• There are no categories, though it is neat in appearance.
• It has related podcasts, videos, articles, and related collections.

3) Poets. Org

• If you are looking for a brief biographical summary, start here.
• It's a sweet place dedicated only to poets. Once you click on the poems to read, you come across categories such as occasions and themes. It's a plus compared to Poetry Foundation.
• If you have read the early influences on Frost from Wikipedia, you can read about the poets here too.
• There's a tie between Poetry Foundation and Poets.org when it comes to only reading the poem as both of them have a beautiful presentation.

4)Britannica

• Where should I place Britannica? If you are interested in the biographical details, then follow this order of moving from a pond to a sea: Poets.org< Poetry Foundation< Britannica< Wikipedia.
• I find it a happy mix of both Wikipedia and Britannica.
• What is catchy is the additional information section. It is a minefield.
• You can also find quotes on varied topics that touch upon human experience. If you want more quotes  then supplement it from robertfrost.org
• What is NEW POETRY? What does it have to do with Frost?
• Learn about Bollingen Prize and Dartmouth College.

5)  Poem Hunter and Biography.com are good for a schoolgoer. Quick facts from biography.com are another neat categorization. Robertfrost.org has a section called fun fact if you are looking for a bit of a break.

RELATED ARTICLES FROM NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER SOURCES

1) After forming a good foundation, read ROBERT FROST: DARKNESS OR LIGHT from the Newyorker. 

2) Check the archives on The New York Times on Frost.

3) Heard of this? Credo Reference

SOURCES ON AMERICAN LITERATURE

1) What is American Literature?

• Encyclopedia
• Wikipedia
• Britannica

2) Periods of American Literature

2) On Everything American