Revision Notes

‘Dust of Snow’ is a beautiful short poem, written by Robert Frost. This poem tells that even a simple moment has a large impact and significance. The poet has mentioned crow and hemlock tree in this poem. Crow signifies his  depressive and sorrowful mood and hemlock tree is a poisonous tree. Both of these signify that the poet was not in a good mood and so he describes the dark, depressive and bitter side of nature to present his similar mood.

In such a sad, depressive mood, the poet was sitting under a hemlock tree. A crow, sitting on the same tree, shook off the dust of snow i.e., small particles of snow that remain on the surface after the snowfall, on the poet. This simple action changed the poet’s mood. He realised that he had just wasted a part of his day repenting and being lost in sorrow. But the change in his mood made him realise that he should utilize the rest of the day in some useful activity. His sorrow was washed away by the light shower of snow dust. His spirit was revived and he got ready to utilise the rest of the day constructively.

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

Explanation:- The poet is upset and sitting under the hemlock tree. Suddenly a crow, sitting on the tree, shakes the particles of snow from the tree which fall on the poet. The soft and cold touch of snow changes the poet’s mood from sad to happy. He starts feeling soothed and refreshed. In this way, a simple moment proves to be very significant and saves the rest of the day of poet from being wasted and held in regret.