Tag: vermont

October 18, 2012

Norman Rockwell – Vermont

“Commonplace never becomes tiresome. It is we who become tired when we cease to be curious and appreciative. We find that is is not a new scene that is needed, but a new viewpoint.” – Norman Rockwell

On our visit to Vermont we drove from Burlington over to West Arlington to see the home of Norman Rockwell. Situated in a picturesque area of rural Vermont, you access the home by crossing the West Arlington Covered Bridge and passing the Gothic steepled Chapel on the Green. The home is now the Vermont Inn. Rockwell lived in the house from 1943 to 1953. These were some of the most productive years he spent as an artist.

Norman Rockwell produced more than four thousand original works. The majority of his works are in public collections or have been destroyed by fire or disasters. He was commissioned to illustrate over forty books which included Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. He also illustrated numerous magazine covers, most notably the Saturday Evening Post which usually were idealizing everyday American life. Many critics consIdered him an illustrator not a painter. Rockwell did not mind the designation as he considered himself an illustrator. Norman Rockwell’s paintings have brought millions of dollars at auction and are prized by many.

nrm.org – Norman Rockwell Museum

October 16, 2012

Robert Frost’s Vermont Home “The Road Not Taken”

Entrance to Robert Frost Home

Robert Frost Home

Woods Behind Robert Frost’s Home

Rear of Robert Frost Home

The Road Not Taken
BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

My Personal Commentary:

The first stanza of Robert Frost’s poem tells that a decision is to be made. The decision is not easy because a person can only see so far into the distance, hence the future. “being one traveler” shows that there was no one else around to help make the decision on which path to take. So, he can only “look down” the path as “far as I could” to help make his decision.

The second stanza shows rationalization. Both paths are equally “fair” to travel. This makes the decision even more difficult. The “other” path was “grassy” and “wanted wear”. The path that “wanted wear” and was “grassy” seemed, perhaps, to be the better path to travel upon. The last two lines in the second stanza show that both paths seems “really about the same”. Choosing the path continues to be a difficult one.

The third stanza shows that neither one of the paths had been traveled upon for some time. Mentally, Frost shows that there is always a sense of hope that the first path may be traveled on at a later date. However, in the last two lines, he knows deep down inside that the chances are that he would actually never have the chance in the future to travel the first path. “way leads to way” illustrates the continual change in our lives and how it is very difficult to go back and take the alternate path.

The fourth and final stanza shows that there is a bit of regret sensed as Frost tells it with a “sigh”. He knows that “ages and ages” in the future, he will not have had the oportunity to take the alternate path. The final two lines illustrate that the path that is taken makes all the difference. The decisions or paths that we take lead us different ways in our lives and the result is directly attributed to the path that we choose and those decisions that we make.

On our trip to Vermont we visited the home of Robert Frost, one of my favorite poets. The house, as you can see is somewhat modest and simple in nature. The land in and around the Frost home is lovely in the fall. It is apparent that the area inspired Robert Frost to create his timeless poetry.