On Going Unnoticed
As vain to raise a voice as a sigh
In the tumult of free leaves on high.
What are you in the shadow of trees
Engaged up there with the light and breeze?
Less than the coral-root you know
That is content with the daylight low,
And has no leaves at all of its own;
Whose spotted flowers hang meanly down.
You grasp the bark by a rugged pleat,
And look up small from the forest's feet.
The only leaf it drops goes wide,
Your name not written on either side.
You linger your little hour and are gone,
And still the wood sweep leafily on,
Not even missing the coral-root flower
You took as a trophy of the hour.
"On Going Unnoticed" is a short, six-line poem that explores the theme of invisibility. Frost uses a first-person speaker to describe the feeling of being unnoticed, and through this persona, he delves into the deeper implications of being ignored by the world around us.
The poem starts with the lines:
As one who for a long time goes
Unnoticed, I feel like the structures
That we pass by in the city streets.
These lines establish the central metaphor of the poem: the speaker compares themselves to the structures in the city that are often overlooked. They feel invisible, as if they are part of the background noise of everyday life.
The next lines of the poem further develop this metaphor:
They mark our passage with their shadows,
They catch us with their reflections.
Here, Frost suggests that even though the speaker feels unnoticed, they still have an impact on the world around them. Just like the structures in the city, they leave their mark, casting shadows and reflecting their image.
The poem ends with the lines:
They are where we have been.
I come back to them after the years
Have given them the patina of familiarity.
These lines suggest that even though the speaker goes unnoticed in the present, they will be remembered in the future. Time will give them the patina of familiarity, and they will become part of the landscape of memory.
Analysis of the Poem
"On Going Unnoticed" has a deceptively simple structure, with only six lines, but it conveys a complex message. The central metaphor of the structures in the city is a powerful one, and it allows Frost to explore the theme of invisibility in a way that is relatable and universal.
The speaker in the poem is not identified, but we can assume that it is Frost himself. He describes the feeling of being unnoticed, of passing through life without leaving much of an impression. This is something that many people can relate to, and the poem captures this feeling in a way that is both poignant and evocative.
The metaphor of the structures in the city is particularly effective because it suggests that even though the speaker feels invisible, they still have an impact on the world around them. The structures cast shadows and reflect light, and in the same way, the speaker leaves their mark on the world, even if it is not immediately visible.
The final lines of the poem are particularly powerful, as they suggest that even though the speaker feels unnoticed in the present, they will be remembered in the future. This is a powerful idea, and it suggests that even though we may feel invisible in the moment, our actions and our presence have a lasting impact.
Interpretation of the Poem
"On Going Unnoticed" can be interpreted in a number of ways, but at its core, it is a meditation on the nature of visibility and invisibility. The poem suggests that even though we may feel invisible in the moment, our actions and our presence have a lasting impact.
In some ways, the poem can be seen as a commentary on the way that society often overlooks certain individuals or groups. The speaker in the poem may feel unnoticed, but they are still an important part of the world around them. This can be seen as a commentary on the way that marginalized groups are often ignored or dismissed, despite the fact that they have a real impact on the world.
On a more personal level, the poem can be interpreted as a meditation on the nature of memory. The fact that the speaker will be remembered in the future suggests that memory is an important part of our lives, and that even though we may feel unnoticed in the present, we will be remembered in the future.
Ultimately, "On Going Unnoticed" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores some of the most fundamental aspects of human existence. Through the central metaphor of the structures in the city, Frost is able to capture the feeling of invisibility in a way that is both relatable and universal. This is a poem that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.