Books of Poetry, I

TWILIGHT
[Lawrence, Mass. 1894]

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.

A Boy's Will

London, 1913

A BOY'S WILL
1913

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.

A Boy's Will

Autograph manuscript, fair copy

A BOY'S WILL
Autograph manuscript

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

A BOY'S WILL
London, 1913

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

A Boy's Will

London, 1913

A BOY'S WILL
London, 1913

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.

A Boy's Will

New York, 1915

A BOY'S WILL
New York, 1915

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."

North of Boston

London, 1914

NORTH OF BOSTON
London, 1914

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."

Mountain Interval

New York, 1916

MOUNTAIN INTERVAL
New York, 1916

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