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By Ankit Gupta
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Updated on 18 Jun 2025, 15:44 IST
The poem “Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost is a short yet powerful poem from the Class 10 English First Flight book. It teaches us a very important life lesson—that small things can bring big changes. In just a few lines, the poet beautifully shows how a simple moment in nature can brighten a gloomy day.
In the poem, the poet talks about how a tiny event—a crow shaking off some snow from a tree—changes his mood. He was having a bad day and feeling upset. But when the dust of snow falls on him, it refreshes him and makes him feel better. This small experience helps him realize that even a bad day can end on a good note if we keep our minds open to the little joys around us.
The poem highlights how nature can heal us. It tells us that a single moment, a kind gesture, or even something unexpected can bring hope and happiness. The crow and the hemlock tree, which are usually seen as symbols of sadness or danger, are used by the poet in a positive way. This shows that beauty and joy can come from things we least expect.
Do Check: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English
These solutions explain the meaning behind the poet’s words and make it easy to understand the deeper message. They are written by experts in an easy-to-read format, so you can learn quickly and clearly.
Students looking for a reliable and easy-to-understand study resource can now download the Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 1 – Dust of Snow PDF. This downloadable PDF includes the complete NCERT solutions, summary, word meanings, poetic devices, and question–answer sets for quick revision. Designed to match the CBSE syllabus and exam pattern, this PDF is helpful for last-minute preparation as well as in-depth learning.
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Whether you're revising at home or preparing for class tests and board exams, this free PDF offers a clear explanation of Robert Frost’s poem and helps improve your understanding of its message—that small moments in life can bring great change. Click the link below to download the Dust of Snow PDF and start learning with confidence!
Q1. What is “Dust of Snow”? What made the poet feel better? How did his mood change?
Answer: “Dust of Snow” means small, soft particles of snow that fall lightly. A sudden shower of these tiny snowflakes made the poet feel better. Before that moment, he was feeling low and upset. But after the snow touched him, his mood became cheerful and positive. He felt fresh and wanted to enjoy the rest of his day.
Q2. How does Robert Frost show nature in this poem?
(i) What birds are commonly used in poems? Is a crow usually one of them? What do we think of when we see a crow?
Answer: In most poems, writers talk about beautiful and sweet-sounding birds like nightingales, cuckoos, peacocks, or parrots. But Frost chose a crow, which is rarely mentioned in poetry. The crow is often linked with bad luck, a loud voice, and dark colours. It brings images of sadness or fear to many people’s minds.
(ii) What kind of tree is a hemlock? Why didn’t the poet use a lovely tree like oak, pine, or maple?
Answer: A hemlock is a tree known for being poisonous, not for beauty. It has small white flowers but is often linked with negative meanings. The poet didn’t choose bright, colourful trees like maple or oak because he wanted to match his sad feelings with the gloomy symbols of a crow and a hemlock. These helped him show his mood more clearly.
(iii) What do the crow and hemlock tree stand for — happiness or sadness? What does the dust of snow mean in the poem?
Answer: The crow and hemlock represent sorrow, sadness, or negativity. But when the snow falls from the hemlock tree, it brings a pleasant surprise to the poet. That light snowfall, or “dust of snow,” stands for a small but powerful moment that turns the poet’s sadness into joy and brings hope.
Q3. Have you ever felt sad or hopeless? Did something small change how you felt?
Answer: Yes, there have been many times when I felt low or upset. Sometimes it was because of what I did, and other times because of how others behaved. Once, I was really angry and went for a walk. At the park, I saw a little girl feeding and playing with a puppy. Watching them made me smile, and my mood changed completely. I even joined them, and we had a fun time together.
The poem “Dust of Snow” is written by Robert Frost, a famous American poet. It is a short poem with a deep meaning. The poem shows how even a small moment in nature can change a person’s mood and make them feel better.
In the poem, the poet was having a bad day. He was feeling sad and upset. Then, a small thing happened—a crow sitting on a tree shook some snow off its branches. That tree was a hemlock tree, which is usually seen as a symbol of sadness or poison. When the snow fell on the poet, it touched him lightly like dust. This simple touch of snow made the poet feel refreshed and happy.
The poet tells us that this little event changed his mood completely. It saved the rest of his day from being wasted. He realized that life still has beauty, hope, and happiness—if we just look around and notice it.
This poem teaches us an important life lesson. Sometimes, even small and unexpected things can bring a big change in how we feel. Nature has the power to heal and bring peace to our minds. The crow and the hemlock tree, which are normally seen as dark or negative, are used in a positive way in this poem. This shows that good things can come from unusual places.
In short, “Dust of Snow” is a simple poem that gives us a big message: never lose hope, because even small moments can brighten your day and make you feel better.
Do Check: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints without Feet
The poem teaches us that even small and unexpected moments can change our mood and outlook. It shows that nature has the power to heal and make us feel better, even when we are feeling sad or hopeless.
The poet chose a crow and a hemlock tree because they are usually linked with darkness or sadness. By using these symbols, the poet shows that even unpleasant things can bring positive change and happiness.
The NCERT Solutions explain the meaning of each line in simple words. They include a summary, word meanings, poetic devices, and answers to textbook questions. This helps students understand the theme and prepare well for exams.
“Dust of Snow” refers to tiny snowflakes that gently fall on the poet. This small moment of nature refreshes his mind and changes his mood from sad to happy.
Yes, they are very useful. The solutions are based on the NCERT syllabus and exam pattern. They help students revise important points, understand poetic devices, and write better answers in the exam.
Yes, students can easily download the NCERT Solutions for this poem in PDF format. It is useful for offline study and quick revision before tests or exams.