Daniel Im

IB Lang 12

Moosman 12

On a Tree Fallen Across the Road

Summary: The poem starts with the statement that a tree has fallen due to a thunderstorm

that has occurred. The tree is now blocking the path and thus ending the journey, or so that is

what is thought. Nature is, at times, blocking the pass of a track and thus making it harder for the

person to get through because they have to go through an alternate route instead or thinking

about another option. However, this obstruction from nature is in vain. We, humans, will not be

stopped from achieving our final goals and dreams. The desire to achieve this dream is and will

be within us and because of that, doesn’t require us to take over the entire world. The poem then

ends with how we are tired of aimless circling in one place, and it would be best if, instead, we

would go out of this circle and go into a straight line to a goal.

Analysis: The overall poem seems to be, overall, about the idea of having something like

nature obstruct our goal of life. This is represented by the tree that has fallen due to the storm.

This entire poem is a metaphor of the idea of the power we humans have over nature. There are

times when it seems that nature has overpowered us. This is represented by the tree falling on the

path of the person. In addition, the person is lacking the tools, like a hatchet, to break this tree

down and go the easy way. Instead, they have to either accept defeat about the situation, which is

not really a human thing to do, or to find a different, alternative path instead. Frost says that we

humans will push on and try everything one can to achieve this goal. This is showing the kind of

independence that humans have from nature. We don’t really let nature control much of what we

do. This is all from the human will and determination that is constantly criticized as well as being
admired. However, this doesn’t mean that we have to attain this goal by conquering everything

on earth. It is, rather, the human will and determination that makes us powerful and is what

allows us to overcome such obstacles like the fallen tree.