Early Poems

The graduation exercises included the "Class Hymn" with words by Robert Frost and an "Original Declamation with Valedictory Address" by him and an "Essay (of Valedictory Rank)" by his future wife Elinor M. White.

"Forest Flowers," an early poem by Robert Frost, was printed in The Pinkerton Annual -- 1917, published by the senior class of Pinkerton Academy, Derry, New Hampshire, where Frost taught from 1906 to 1911. Beneath the printed poem on p. 10 is the note: "Mr. Frost will be remembered as a former teacher in Pinkerton."

The 8-line poem was never collected in a Frost volume of poetry though a variant 10-line poem version was printed under the title "Tutelary Elves" in Lawrance Thompson's Robert Frost: The Early Years, 1874-1915.

Books of Poetry

Frost had two copies of this first book of his poetry printed, one for his future bride, Elinor White, and one for himself. He destroyed his own copy. The one shown here is the only remaining copy.

Aside from Twilight, of which only one copy survives, the first published book of Robert Frost was A Boy's Will (London, 1913), issued when Frost was approaching forty. That this little book and its follower North of Boston (1914) created a revolution in American poetry is putting it mildly. Frost left America for England in 1912, unknown and unheralded. He returned in 1915 an established poet who went on from strength to strength to become the major American poet of this century.

At the request of C. Waller Barrett, Robert Frost transcribed the poems from A Boy's Will. At the end of the manuscript is the inscription: "To Waller Barrett since he would have it all in my hand Robert Frost," followed by a statement concerning the poems included.

Page proofs, with corrections and annotations in Frost's hand.

First Edition, First Binding. Rare review copy. Aside from Twilight, of which only one copy survives, A Boy's Will was Frost's first published book. Issued when he was approaching forty, it created a revolution in American poetry. A Boy's Will and his next book North of Boston established Frost as the major American poet of this century.

First American edition. Twelve line poem, "Stars," in Frost's hand, on recto of front endpaper, inscribed at the end, "For Earle Bernheimer [the following added later] and from him to R. V. Thornton with my approval R.F."

First edition. Inscribed on front end-paper: "Leona from Rob & Elinor Ledbury Eng July 1914." Inscribed on recto first blank leaf: "To Vera-May 10-1931 from her Mother Leona White Harvey."

First edition, first issue. Inscribed "To Waller Barrett from his friend Robert Frost Cambridge January 7 1951".

Poems from the first three books were included as well as "The Runaway" previously printed in the Amherst Monthly (June 1918).

Number 141 of an issue limited to 350 copies, signed by the author. Final four lines of "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" in Frost's hand, inscribed at the end, "Robert Frost For Crosby Gaige." Woodcuts by J.J. Lankes.

Page proofs for pages 199-234, with proofreader's corrections and marginal queries for Frost's reply. Inscribed: "Proofs of New Hampshire from R. F. to E.B."

First trade edition. Inscribed on front endpaper: "Robert Frost, Pittsfield, Sign of the Open Book (Store kept by my daughter Lesley Frost)." Seven lines of poem "There are Roughly Zones," in Frost's hand on recto of front endpaper, inscribed at end, "For R. V. Thornton December 16, 1953 Chicago."

Limited edition, with J. J. Lankes woodcuts, signed by the author. Presentation copy to Crosby Gaige.

Salesman's dummy with early rejected title. Printed on first three leaves only. Accompanied by a trial binding with the rejected title. With a presentation copy to Frost's biographer Lawrance Thompson which includes the last 27 lines of "Two tramps in mud time."

The manuscript title "New Poems Toward the Next Book" is an early draft for what came to be A Witness Tree. Inscribed "to Earle Bernheimer from Robert Frost Time of the visit of Earle at 88 Mt. Vernon St in Boston, February 21 1941." Includes "To a Moth Seen in Winter"

Trade edition; trial copy without portrait frontispiece. Contains "The Gift Outright" later recited at John F. Kennedy's inauguration. Presentation copy to Earle Bernheimer.

Braille edition, embossed in one volume.

First edition. "Come In" contains poems from six previous books. The pictorial endpapers are from a water color by John O'Hara Cosgrave II of Mount Kearsarge from Flaghole. The back inner flap of the dustjacket contains mailing instructions for sending the book to a serviceman.

Trade edition. Presentation copy to Vera Harvey. Inscribed by Frost on the date of publication to Vera Harvey of Gloucester, Massachusetts, a daughter of Mrs. Frost's sister Leona White Harvey.

Trade edition. Presentation copy to R. V, Thornton with a three line quote which begins, "Not everything I say is said in scorn..." written by Frost on recto of front endpaper.

Trade edition. Inscribed to Russell Alberts. In Frost's first new collection of lyrics since A Witness Tree in 1942, he tried to branch out in new directions and discuss contemporary issues.

Frost dedicated this book to his mother Belle Moodie Frost "who knew as a teacher that no poetry was good for children that wasn't equally good for their elders."

The poem "Dedication" was written for John F. Kennedy's inauguration. With the sun glaring in his eyes Frost was unable to read his composition but instead gave a clear reading of "The Gift Outright." "The Gift Outright" was first printed in The Virginia Quarterly Review in 1942, and later that year included in A Witness Tree. The woodcut on the cover is by Fritz Kredel.

An advanced copy of the trade edition published on Robert Frost's birthday, March 26, 1962. Frost inscribed this copy to his biographer Lawrance Thompson.

A Commencement Address

Typescript with manuscript corrections. "Printed with the permission of Mr. Frost from stenographic notes prepared for press by Robert S. Newdick

A Play

Inscribed: "To Earle: This may well have started me on my downward career toward playwriting. The first result is The Guardeen in your possession. R." In Frost's play a young graduate student outwits both a backwoods downeaster and a pretentious professor.

Sheet Music

Choruses for men's, women's and mixed voices with piano accompaniment. Dedicated "to the townspeople of Amherst Massachusetts, on their two hundredth birthday." Thompson, a University of Virginia professor, also set passages from Thomas Jefferson to music in his Testament of Freedom, 1944.