Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HILL WIFE: THE SMILE by ROBERT FROST

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY HE WENT AWAY
Last Line: HE'S WATCHING FROM THE WOODS AS LIKE AS NOT.
Subject(s): MARRIAGE; WEDDINGS; HUSBANDS; WIVES;
@3Her Word@1

I didn't like the way he went away.
That smile! It never came of being gay.
Still he smiled -- did you see him? -- I was sure!
Perhaps because we gave him only bread
And the wretch knew from that that we were poor.
Perhaps because he let us give instead
Of seizing from us as he might have seized.
Perhaps he mocked as us for being wed,
Or being very young (and he was pleased
To have a vision of us old and dead).
I wonder how far down the road he's got.
He's watching from the woods as like as not.



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