Frost: in/while

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Marius Hancu - 24 Feb 2010 12:10 GMT

Hello:

Would you say "in" in "in saying naught" is equivalent to "while"
here?

Also, I'm not sure how
"It will be further done"
connects to the previous verse.
Does it mean
"that/which will be further done?"

Starting with "it" would to me more natural after a period here.

---
They leave the road to me
To walk in saying naught
Perhaps but to a tree
Inaudibly in thought,
"From you the road receives
A priming coat of leaves.

"And soon for lack of sun
The prospects are in white
It will be further done,
But with a coat so light
The shape of leaves will show
Beneath the brush of snow."

Robert Frost, Closed for Good, p. 415
http://www.cambridgebikes.org/Spring2009/Poems/closed_for_good.html
---
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Jerry Friedman - 24 Feb 2010 15:08 GMT

> Hello:
>
> Would you say "in" in "in saying naught" is equivalent to "while"
> here?

That wouldn't quite work for me. I think maybe there should be a
comma after "in"--"leaving me the road to walk in, [while] saying
naught"

> Also, I'm not sure how
> "It will be further done"
> connects to the previous verse.
> Does it mean
> "that/which will be further done?"

"the prospects are [that] in white it will be further done", I'd say.

> Starting with "it" would to me more natural after a period here.
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Robert Frost, Closed for Good, p. 415
> http://www.cambridgebikes.org/Spring2009/Poems/closed_for_good.html

--
Jerry Friedman

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CDB - 24 Feb 2010 15:40 GMT

> Hello:
>
> Would you say "in" in "in saying naught" is equivalent to "while"
> here?

Not exactly. I think "saying naught" is also a kind of existential
state. "While" wouldn't give that.

> Also, I'm not sure how
> "It will be further done"
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Starting with "it" would to me more natural after a period here.

You can read it as "the prospects are (it appears likely) [that] it
will be further done (painted) in white." The phrasing is as it is so
that you can interpret the lines both ways.

And I'm still thinking about the double meaning of "leave the road".

> ---
> They leave the road to me
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> http://www.cambridgebikes.org/Spring2009/Poems/closed_for_good.html
> ---

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010

Frost: in/while