Poem StudyPoem Study

by by Shawn LamourouxShawn Lamouroux

““The ArmfulThe Armful””

bybyRobert FrostRobert Frost

For every parcel I stoop down to seizeFor every parcel I stoop down to seizeI lose some other off my arms and I lose some other off my arms and knees,knees,And the whole pile is slipping, bottles, And the whole pile is slipping, bottles, buns,buns,Extremes too hard to comprehend at Extremes too hard to comprehend at onceonceYet nothing I should care to leave Yet nothing I should care to leave behind.behind.With all I have to hold with hand and With all I have to hold with hand and mindmindAnd heart, if need be, I will do my best.And heart, if need be, I will do my best.To keep their building balanced at my To keep their building balanced at my breast.breast.I crouch down to prevent them as they I crouch down to prevent them as they fall;fall;Then sit down in the middle of them all.Then sit down in the middle of them all.I had to drop the armful in the roadI had to drop the armful in the roadAnd try to stack them in a better load.And try to stack them in a better load.

This poem is a metaphor comparing This poem is a metaphor comparing the mental load one carries through the mental load one carries through life with a physical load.life with a physical load.

Each parcel he picks up is more Each parcel he picks up is more responsibility and perhaps more responsibility and perhaps more stress.stress.

He is saying that if you try He is saying that if you try to take on too much at to take on too much at once you will not be able once you will not be able to handle the others well.to handle the others well.

The last 2 lines suggest that you know what is most important to you so you can balance that with the rest.

1. What does he mean by “parcel”?1. What does he mean by “parcel”? 2. Why is the pile slipping?2. Why is the pile slipping? 3. Why doesn’t he want to leave 3. Why doesn’t he want to leave

anything behind?anything behind? 4. Why does he want to prevent them 4. Why does he want to prevent them

from falling?from falling? 5. What does he mean by “Then sit 5. What does he mean by “Then sit

down in the middle of them all”?down in the middle of them all”?