poem identity response

I Could Give All to Time

To Time it never seems that he is brave

To set himself against the peaks of snow

To lay them level with the running wave,

Nor is he overjoyed when they lie low,

But only grave, contemplative and grave.

What now is inland shall be ocean isle,

Then eddies playing round a sunken reef

Like the curl at the corner of a smile;

And I could share Time’s lack of joy or grief

At such a planetary change of style.

I could give all to Time except – except

What I myself have held. But why declare

The things forbidden that while the Customs slept

I have crossed to Safety with? For I am There,

And what I would not part with I have kept.

- Robert Frost

The speaker in this poem expresses his personal experiences in his life. He has had the ups and downs throughout time; however, Frost shares Time's emotionless reaction because they both know that life goes on. The speaker views that life has to have sad days and happy days, for those that are level only offers boredom. The inconsistencies of life are what give us souls and imperfection. Frost also indicates that life is too short to just give away. "Except what I myself have held." line 12. He wants to keep his memories and identity with him when time goes by. "At such a planetary change of style" line 10. As people grow older, we lose our memory and therefore, we lose our identity. In summary, Frost wants us to take our experiences of everyday life and live them to the fullest. Because who knows what will happen next.