"Mending Wall" by Robert Frost

The poem "Mending Wall" composed by Robert Frost explores both physical and mental boundaries. This poem explores the views of neighbours who think separately. Are you someone who needs you own space? Or do you feel we distance ourselves from others too much?

The title "Mending Wall" is referred to in the poem as both a physical and metaphorical wall. The physical is obviously the wall that they build to keep each other out. The metaphorical is the distance that the neighbour likes to keep between himself and the persona. His neighbour expresses this clearly in the following quote from the poem.

Good fences make good neighbours.

The persona's attitude is quite sarcastic and negative towards his neighbour. Ordinarily the persona is the one who reminds his neighbour that it is time to repair the wall, but the persona is the one who finds no need for the wall!

I let my neighbour know beyond the hill;

And on a day we meet to walk the line

And set the wall between us as we go.

Frost uses good visual imagery to describe in detail to us the destruction of the wall.

That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it

And spills the upper boulder in the sun.

And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.

Another good writing technique that Frost uses is a simile, this is used to compare his neighbour a traditional farmer, to a cave man.

I see him there,

Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top

In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.

As the poem is written in first person, we feel obliged to sympathise with the speaker, and his anoyance at his old fashioned neighbour.