The Birds Do Thus - Advice and a poem by Robert Frost

"I Slept All Day" is a short poem by Robert Frost that expresses a simple yet profound sentiment about life, happiness, and the value of time. Let's analyze the poem stanza by stanza:

Stanza 1:

"The birds do thus

That sing a while

At eve for us"

In these lines, Frost is drawing a parallel between the birds that sing in the evening and the speaker's desire to have someone dear to them soon. The birds' singing represents a fleeting, ephemeral moment of beauty, just like the joy and anticipation the speaker feels about the arrival of their loved one.

Stanza 2:

"To have you soon

I gave away --

Well satisfied

To give -- a day"

Here, the speaker reveals that they gave away a day in anticipation of the arrival of their loved one. This act of sacrifice is done willingly and happily, as the speaker is "well satisfied" with giving away a day of their life to be with the person they care about.

Stanza 3:

"Life's not so short

I care to keep

The unhappy days;

I choose to sleep."

In these lines, Frost presents a broader philosophical perspective on life. The speaker suggests that life is not so short that they would want to hold onto or preserve the unhappy days. Instead, they choose to "sleep," which can be interpreted both literally as a peaceful rest and metaphorically as a way to avoid or escape from the unpleasant aspects of life.

Overall, the poem reflects a desire for joy and contentment in life, a willingness to give up time for the sake of love and happiness, and a preference for focusing on positive experiences while avoiding unnecessary suffering. Frost's concise and thought-provoking style captures the essence of these sentiments, inviting readers to reflect on their own approach to life and the pursuit of happiness.