Robert Lee Frost, one of the greatest poets in history, was born in San Francisco, California on March 26, 1874. He spent his early years in San Francisco until his father passed away from tuberculosis when Frost was 11. Following his father’s death, Frost, his mother, and his sister moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts to live with his grandparents, who had ancestors from New England. Frost graduated from Lawrence High School in 1892 and was named “class poet” and co-valedictorian with his future wife, Elinor White. Frost’s poem “My Butterfly” was accepted by the New York Independent, earning him $15.
Frost briefly attended Dartmouth College before returning home to work at various unfulfilling jobs. He eventually attended Harvard University in 1897, but dropped out due to health concerns and returned to Lawrence to be with his wife. In 1900, Frost moved with his family to Derry, New Hampshire, where he pursued farming and faced personal tragedies including the death of his firstborn child and the loss of his youngest child shortly after birth. Despite these challenges, Frost’s poems “The Tuft of Flowers” and “The Trial by Existence” were published in 1906.
In 1912, Frost moved his family to the UK after facing rejection from American magazines. He continued to write about New England and published two poetry books, “A Boy’s Will” (1913) and “North of Boston” (1914), which featured notable poems like “Mending Wall” and “After Apple-Picking.” These works allowed Frost to return to the U.S. in 1915 and establish himself as a celebrated literary figure. Frost met with influential poets such as Ezra Pound and Edward Thomas, who inspired him to write “The Road Not Taken” and “Birches.”
Frost’s reputation grew as he continued to write nature-inspired poems with traditional lyric and meter. His book “New Hampshire” (1923) included the iconic poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” earning him his first Pulitzer Prize. Frost also pursued a teaching career at various colleges, including Amherst College, until his wife’s passing in 1938. Throughout his life, Frost won four Pulitzer Prizes for his poetry and received numerous honorary degrees. In 1960, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by Congress.
At the age of 86, Frost was asked to write and recite a poem for John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961. Frost passed away on January 29, 1963, due to complications from prostate surgery, leaving behind two daughters, Lesley and Irma. Despite the personal challenges and losses he faced throughout his life, Frost’s legacy as a groundbreaking poet remains an integral part of American literary history.
