A minor bird by Robert Frost

Robert Frost was born in 1875. Being the most famous America's twentieth century poet, Robert Frost was considered as the poet Robert Frost was considered as the poet Laureate of America and was invited to read one of his poems 'on the occasion of the inauguration of John Kennedy as President of the USA". Following the nature poets, Robert Frost favoured themes close to nature and his poems mirror forth his own conception of nature. Robert Frost's minor bird is a simple short poem. To begin with he shows his intolerance of the song of the bird and later admits the fact that one has to cultivate tolerance and live in harmony with nature and nature's gifts.

Thus the poet gives an exceptional place to nature; coming into terms with various conceptions of nature driving away all objections and disagreements, Just as his poem 'The Most of It" brings alive his perceptions of nature, with the aim of highlighting his feelings and reactions to the bird in his garden, the poet uses the present perfect tense, giving life to the situation described.

"I have wished a bird would fly away and not sing by my house all day."

"Have clapped my hands at him from the door when it seemed as if I could bear no more."

The tense pattern is made to change in order to show his sympathy to the little bird and the act of injustice caused by chasing away the bird; highlighting the pathetic situation and the poet's repentance. "The fault must partly have been in me the bird was not to blame for his key." "The bird's key is a gift of nature and 'Frost, as a result of his maturity accepts it without objection" (Gamini Fonseka's comments)

Though the bird has been chased away no harm was caused to the bird. The poet tries to pacify himself with excuses to establish the fact that mere chasing has not caused any bodily harm to the innocent creature and thus "freeing the bird from the blame for his key". The KEY here is exceptional; it's not the piano key. It's a heavenly gift of nature to the bird. The final couplet

"And of course there must be something wrong in wanting to silence any song" Highlighting the true fact that a bird has the freedom to sing as it wishes and repenting for the injustice caused by him. This is quite symbolic and the poet trying to free himself of the vicious situation created.

"Have clapped my hands at him from the door".

Frost's diction style is simple and direct. His ardent admiration of nature is clearly emphasised in this poem-, A minor bird. Nearer to spoken idiom, his language style invites the reader's attention and admiration Thus inspiring the reader to admire and love nature's creations, with sympathy and understanding.

"And of course there must be something wrong.

In wanting to silence any song

"Frost's syntax is clear and the tone remains conversational" (Angela, Hussein) with the common rhyming scheme a,a,b,b,c,c,d,d, highlighting the Theme and elegance of the poem.