When the Frost family returned
from England in 1915, Robert's reputation as an important "new"
poet had preceded his homecoming. He wanted to live in the White
Mountains of New Hampshire and set out to find a place where
he could write, farm and live quietly. He was familiar with the
area around Bethlehem, where he had often found refuge in hay
fever season. He found a property he wanted and although it was
not for sale, he expressed his interest to the owner. The farmer
offered him another farm down the road. Frost suggested that
the farmer take the place down the road and let him have this
one. (He liked the farm for its view of Layafette Mountain.)
He later wrote the little incident into a poem called New
Hampshire.
Elinor was happy with the new house
and wrote a friend, "The view is very fine, and the village
of Franconia is exceptionally attractive." Frost's poem
In the Home Stretch tells of a woman moving into a new
house. The poem ends:
"When there was no
more lantern in the kitchen,
The fire got out through
crannies in the stone
And danced in yellow wrigglers
on the ceiling
As much at home as if they'd
always danced there."
Within a year Frost published his
third volume of poetry Mountain Interval containing a
number of new poems written in Franconia. Frost received invitations
to lecture and read his poems. Amherst College offered him a
position on their faculty as full professor. He was intrigued
by the offer, but wondered how the pressures of teaching and
lecturing would affect his writing. Of course, after almost 20
years of neglect in America, he was flattered by the recognition
he had wanted for so long. The salary proved attractive to meet
the growing needs of his family. As always, farming meagerly
supplemented his income. In 1917, he joined Amherst's faculty
in the English Department and rented living quarters in town
during the semester. He returned home to Franconia at the end
of the term. This became his schedule for several years.
Robert and Carol
in Franconia 1916-1917
Courtesy of Lesley Lee
Francis
Frost in his morris chair
with homemade writing desk
Franconia 1915
Courtesy of The Jones
Library, Amherst
The Frost children were growing
up. The oldest girl, Lesley, entered Wellesley College in 1917
and the next child, son Carol intended to be a farmer after high
school. Carol persuaded his father there was no use trying to
farm in Franconia due to the early and late frosts that killed
the garden and retarded the fruit trees. Robert discovered the
relief he found during hay fever season, soon turned into respiratory
problems with the sub-zero winter temperatures. Franconia for
all its beauty and serenity proved to be disagreeable after a
time. Geographically, Frost needed a more southerly climate.
Today, The
Frost Place is owned by the town of Franconia and used in
the summer as a writers' conference. Several rooms are open to
the public during the season. Programs are given to commemorate
the poet. Visit their fine web site to learn more.
