A Considerable Speck
~ Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Rhyme Scheme- Free Verse; Not in a specific rhyme scheme
Summary-
Once the poet was writing on a white sheet of paper when a tiny dust particle flew over the
sheet. Initially, he considered that it had blown off due to his breath but on closer look, he
realized that the particle was running here and there and that it was a tiny insect. The insect
could think and was trying to save itself. It ran and at times stopped due to the fear of the poet’s
pen. Then it reached the area where the poet had written and the ink was still wet. The insect
smelt or drank the ink. It disliked it because it turned and tried to fly away.
The tiny being tried various ways to save itself, its confidence reduced when it realized that it
could not save itself. The creature was too small to have feet but it did have a pair with which it
ran wildly to save itself. Finally, it bowed to the poet’s will and surrendered itself in the middle of
the sheet.
The poet was not an animal lover, the type of people who fought for animal rights and showed
that they had a lot of love for these beings. He simply felt that the tiny insect was harmless. So,
he did not fiddle with it. He let it be there and waited for the insect to go to sleep.
The poet has the ability to think and he recognizes when he sees the display of intelligence by
anyone. This insect’s display of intelligence to save itself is appreciated by the poet.
Theme-
- Respect for life
- Empathy
- Observation & Reflection
- Intelligence & Consciousness
, - Existentialism
- Significance of the Insignificant
- Individuality
Stanza Analysis-
1st Stanza_ “A speck that would have been beneath my sight…..With inclinations it could call its
own”
The poet notices a speck (dust particle) running across the sheet of white paper on which he
was probably writing something. The speck was so tiny, that it was visible only because of the
contrasting background, i.e the white paper.
The poet positioned his pen tightly right over the speck (probably ready to squash it), when he
was just about to finish his writing with a period (full stop)
*the pen’s tip was dipped in ink
However, just then, the poet notices the running of the speck, which was unusual to him. This
made the poet realises that this wasn’t an inanimate object, blown away by his breath, but a
living mite with its own inclinations (a mind of its own; feelings).
~ Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Rhyme Scheme- Free Verse; Not in a specific rhyme scheme
Summary-
Once the poet was writing on a white sheet of paper when a tiny dust particle flew over the
sheet. Initially, he considered that it had blown off due to his breath but on closer look, he
realized that the particle was running here and there and that it was a tiny insect. The insect
could think and was trying to save itself. It ran and at times stopped due to the fear of the poet’s
pen. Then it reached the area where the poet had written and the ink was still wet. The insect
smelt or drank the ink. It disliked it because it turned and tried to fly away.
The tiny being tried various ways to save itself, its confidence reduced when it realized that it
could not save itself. The creature was too small to have feet but it did have a pair with which it
ran wildly to save itself. Finally, it bowed to the poet’s will and surrendered itself in the middle of
the sheet.
The poet was not an animal lover, the type of people who fought for animal rights and showed
that they had a lot of love for these beings. He simply felt that the tiny insect was harmless. So,
he did not fiddle with it. He let it be there and waited for the insect to go to sleep.
The poet has the ability to think and he recognizes when he sees the display of intelligence by
anyone. This insect’s display of intelligence to save itself is appreciated by the poet.
Theme-
- Respect for life
- Empathy
- Observation & Reflection
- Intelligence & Consciousness
, - Existentialism
- Significance of the Insignificant
- Individuality
Stanza Analysis-
1st Stanza_ “A speck that would have been beneath my sight…..With inclinations it could call its
own”
The poet notices a speck (dust particle) running across the sheet of white paper on which he
was probably writing something. The speck was so tiny, that it was visible only because of the
contrasting background, i.e the white paper.
The poet positioned his pen tightly right over the speck (probably ready to squash it), when he
was just about to finish his writing with a period (full stop)
*the pen’s tip was dipped in ink
However, just then, the poet notices the running of the speck, which was unusual to him. This
made the poet realises that this wasn’t an inanimate object, blown away by his breath, but a
living mite with its own inclinations (a mind of its own; feelings).
