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[Fire and Ice: Why Frost’s Shortest Poem Still Feels Unsettling]

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Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire,

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To know that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

See Second Post on This Poem

Thought on This Poem

Desire burns in our hearts, and we are expected to associate desire with fire. Destruction is cold, heartless, and brutal, and it seems expected to be associated with ice again. Is it a surprise that Frost ends the world by making these simple points? The intended meaning is passion, which is what life is.

Brent M. Jones

Brent writes with quiet confidence and curiosity, exploring communication, reinvention, and what truly matters. His reflections invite readers to slow down, reconsider their stories, and reconnect with the values that guide them. Through books, essays, and his What Matters Substack Articles and Notes, he offers writing that doesn’t shout—but still speaks clearly.