I didn't like the way he went away.
That smile! It never came of being gay.
Still, he smiled—did you see him?—I was sure!
Perhaps because we gave him only bread
And the wretch knew from that that we were poor.
Perhaps because he let us give instead
Of seizing from us as he might have seized.
Perhaps he mocked at us for being wed,
Or being very young (and he was pleased
To have a vision of us old and dead).
I wonder how far down the road he's got.
He's watching from the woods as like as not.
I am busy working to bring Robert Frost's "The Hill Wife - The Smile" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about Robert Frost's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "The Hill Wife - The Smile" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.