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To All Around and God AboveIn the poem, "The Silken Tent," Robert Frost seems to have a great respect and love for the woman depicted in this poem. In line one, "as in a field a silken tent," is a simile used throughout this poem to compare this woman to a silken tent because she seems smooth and refreshing--just as the sight of a tent would be on a hot summer day. Even though she has freedom and a refreshing aura about her, she still has responsibilities. In this poem, it seems as if the woman does not have any responsibilities to anyone, but in reality she has a responsibility to all those around her and to God above. The poem is told to us by a narrator, who has a tone of great respect for this woman. He relates to us that parts of the tent stand for her obligations to all people around her. For instance, in line four, the metaphor "guys" suggests not only the cords that hold up the tent, but also stand for the people in her life. It is to these people that she has obligations. That she "owes naught to any single cord" indicates that just like the tent, she does not depend on any single person but depends on all of her supports equally. This makes it easier for her to handle obligations because she is not "tied down" with any one person. It is also the "guys" that hold her, as well as the tent, against "the capriciousness of summer air," the constant change of obligations from one person to the next that change just as the summer air constantly changes. The line, "Is of the slightest bondage made aware" suggests that it is the breeze that makes us aware of the obligations she has to adhere to. "Countless silken ties of love and thought" enable her to keep all love channeled into handling all the responsibilities that the breeze, which is the symbol of people making demands on her, blows in. Along with the obligations here on earth, she also has responsibilities to God above. The "sureness of her soul" shows a strong nobility of character. Also, her character is represented by the tent's "supporting central cedar pole [with] its pinnacle to heavenward." This symbol represents the belief in a greater world beyond earth. The pole is positioned straight toward heaven, just as her responsibilities on earth keep her soul headed toward heaven. In this poem, the freshness, sureness, and openness of this woman enable us to believe that she does not have any responsibilities at all. In reality, she does have obligations and responsibilities not only to the people in her life but also to God above. It is her sureness and openness in handling these responsibilities which allows the poet to speak of this woman as "silken."
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