Poem Analysis - The Freedom Of The Moon

Overview: Playful Imagination and Poetic Control

Robert Frost's "The Freedom Of The Moon" is a charming exploration of imaginative power and the poet's ability to manipulate beauty and wonder. The poem begins with a tone of experimentation, a playful trying-out of the moon in various contexts, and then shifts to a more assertive declaration of control over its placement and effect. This is not a poem about grand pronouncements, but rather a quiet, confident celebration of the artist's agency.

The Moon as an Ornament of Beauty and Power

The poem centers on the moon as both an object of beauty and a symbol of artistic control. In the first stanza, the speaker describes how he has "tried" the moon, like a "jewel in your hair," suggesting an attempt to adorn the natural world, to make it more beautiful through artistic intervention. This initial phase is tentative, marked by "little breadth of luster," implying a cautious approach. However, the phrase "first-water start almost shining" suggests the inherent potential for brilliance that the poet can unlock. This imagery of ornamentation subtly implies the power the speaker seeks to wield over the moon's aesthetic.

Artistic Agency: Re-shaping Nature

The central theme of the poem is the power of the artist to manipulate and reshape the natural world. The second stanza transitions from trying the moon to decisively placing it "anywhere I please." This is a bold declaration of artistic agency. The lines "I've pulled it from a crate of crooked trees, / And brought it over glossy water, greater," illustrate a deliberate act of creation. The moon isn't passively observed; it is actively transported and transformed through the poet's will. The image of the moon's reflection "wallow[ing]" and the "color run[ning]" highlights the transformative power of the artistic act – nature itself is altered and enhanced through the poet's intervention.

Wonder as a Result of Artistic Manipulation

The "wonder" that follows the dropping of the moon into the water is a key element. It is not merely a passive appreciation of nature's beauty, but a direct consequence of the speaker's action. The image of the moon causing "all sorts of wonder [to] follow" suggests that the poet's intervention can create something new and unexpected. The moon, in essence, becomes a source of artistic wonder that only exists because of the speaker's decision to alter its position. It encourages a unique interpretation of the natural world, a shift from passive observer to active participant.

A Final Reflection: The Artist's Creative Sovereignty

"The Freedom Of The Moon" is ultimately a celebration of the artist's creative sovereignty. Frost, through simple language and vivid imagery, presents a world where the poet is not merely a recorder of nature but an active shaper of it. The poem demonstrates that the true beauty lies not only in the observed world, but in the artist's ability to interact with it, manipulate it, and ultimately, create "wonder" from the ordinary. The speaker’s control over the moon mirrors the poet's control over language and form, a power to craft meaning and evoke emotion through artistic choices.