An Encounter
by Robert Frost
by Robert Frost
Once on the day called "weather breeder"
When the heat slowly hazes and the sun
By its own power seems to be undone
I was half boring through, half climbing through
A swamp of cedar. Chocked with oil of cedar
And scurf of plants, and weary and over-heated
And sorry I ever left the road I knew
I paused and rested on a sort of hook
That had me by the coat as good as seated
And since there was no other way to look
Looked up toward heaven, and there against the blue
Stood over me a resurrected tree
A tree that had been down and raised again
A barkless spectre. He had halted too
As if for fear of treading upon me..
i saw the strange position of his hands
Up at his shoulder, dragging yellow strands
Of wire with something in it from men to men
You here? I said. Where aren't you nowadays
And what's the news you're off for Montreal?
Me? I'm not off for anywhere at all.
Sometimes I wander out of beaten ways
Half looking for the orchid Calypso.
