Dust of Snow

“Dust of Snow” has connections to multiple poetic genres. As the poem is short and expresses the speaker’s feelings, it qualifies as a lyric poem. The poem also has aspects in common with haikus, short poems that often capture a moment in nature. One of the most well-known haiku poets is Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694), and in “On a withered branch,” Bashō, like Frost, focuses on a crow in a tree, with Bashō writing:

On a withered branch,

a crow has come to perch—

at dusk in autumn (Bashō, Matsuo. “On a withered branch.” Circa 1680. Trans. John T. Carpenter. MetMuseum.org).

The haiku genre relies on imagery, including precise language to create a vivid picture. In Basho’s haiku and Frost’s poem, the speakers’ detailed depictions of their moments in nature produce a palpable scene. Haikus have three lines: The first and last lines have five syllables, and the middle line contains seven syllables. Frost’s poem has eight lines and two stanzas, but the lines capture the haiku sound by staying within the four-to-six-syllable range. In other words, Frost’s poem isn’t a standard haiku; however, it has the qualities and sound associated with the genre.