Robert Frost Frost, Robert (1874-1963), became the most popular American poet of his time. He won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1924, 1931, 1937, and 1943. In 1960, Congress voted Frost a gold medal "in recognition of his poetry, which has enriched the culture of the United States and the philosophy of the world." Frost's public career reached a climax in January 1961, when he recited his poem "The Gift Outright" at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. His …showed first 75 words of 696 total…

…showed last 75 words of 696 total…and so nature's meanings can never be known. Probing for nature's secrets is futile and foolish. Humanity's best chance for serenity does not come from understanding the natural environment. Serenity comes from working usefully and productively amid the external forces of nature. Frost often used the theme of "significant toil"—toil by which people are nourished and sustained. This theme appears in such famous lyrics as "Birches," "After Apple-Picking," and "Two Tramps in Mud Time."