Mending Wall
Mending Wall
By Robert Lee Frost
Somethingthereisthatdoesn'tloveawall,
ThatsendsthefrozenͲgroundͲswellunderit,
Andspillstheupperbouldersinthesun;
Andmakesgapseventwocanpassabreast.
Theworkofhuntersisanotherthing:
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Ihavecomeafterthemandmaderepair
Wheretheyhaveleftnotonestoneonastone,
Buttheywouldhavetherabbitoutofhiding,
Topleasetheyelpingdogs.ThegapsImean,
Noonehasseenthemmadeorheardthemmade,
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ButatspringmendingͲtimewefindthemthere.
Iletmyneighborknowbeyondthehill;
Andonadaywemeettowalktheline
Andsetthewallbetweenusonceagain.
Wekeepthewallbetweenusaswego.
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Toeachthebouldersthathavefallentoeach.
Andsomeareloavesandsomesonearlyballs
Wehavetouseaspelltomakethembalance:
"Staywhereyouareuntilourbacksareturned!"
Wewearourfingersroughwithhandlingthem.
Oh,justanotherkindofoutͲdoorgame,
Oneonaside.Itcomestolittlemore:
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Mending Wall
Therewhereitiswedonotneedthewall:
HeisallpineandIamappleorchard.
Myappletreeswillnevergetacross
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Andeattheconesunderhispines,Itellhim.
Heonlysays,"Goodfencesmakegoodneighbors."
Springisthemischiefinme,andIwonder
IfIcouldputanotioninhishead:
"Whydotheymakegoodneighbors?Isn'tit
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Wheretherearecows?Butheretherearenocows.
BeforeIbuiltawallI'dasktoknow
WhatIwaswallinginorwallingout,
AndtowhomIwasliketogiveoffense.
Somethingthereisthatdoesn'tloveawall,
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Thatwantsitdown."Icouldsay"Elves"tohim,
Butit'snotelvesexactly,andI'drather
Hesaiditforhimself.Iseehimthere
Bringingastonegraspedfirmlybythetop
Ineachhand,likeanoldͲstonesavagearmed.
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Hemovesindarknessasitseemstome,
Notofwoodsonlyandtheshadeoftrees.
Hewillnotgobehindhisfather'ssaying,
Andhelikeshavingthoughtofitsowell
Hesaysagain,"Goodfencesmakegoodneighbors."
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