In 1961, famous American poet Robert Frost did something no other poet had ever done.
He read one of his poems for a presidential inauguration. John F. Kennedy personally asked Frost to read a poem for the inauguration, and Frost recited his famous poem “The Gift Outright.”
What better way to celebrate this iconic poet’s birthday (March 26) than by reading one of his poems?
Click here to read Frost’s poem, “Mending Wall.” In it, you’ll find two men repairing a stone fence in the spring, one man standing on one side of the wall, the other working from the other side. It’s hard work, and the narrator questions why they even need a wall. But the other man, like the chorus of a song, repeats, “Good fences make good neighbors.”
The narrator thinks, “Why do they make good neighbors?” He clearly believes this stone wall is unnecessary.
Now it’s your turn: Read the poem. Then answer one of these two questions:
1. Why do fences make good neighbors?
2. Why does the narrator believe the stone wall is unnecessary?
A version of this prompt was first posted on SchoolhouseTeachers.com. You can go directly to SchoolhouseTeachers.com to sign up and take advantage of many exciting courses written for grades K-12. This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.
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