Excalibur wrote:Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
- Fire & Ice by Robert Frost
The poet uses a mixture of alternate rhymes and rhyming couplets creating an inconsistent rhymes scheme, resembling the uncertainty of the speaker. Despite the fact they expect the world to end in fire, they are not entirely sure yet as it is just a prediction.
The poem introduces opinions through the use of "Some" rather than "I" or "We". Therefore, instead of making it seem like one opinion, it is made to look the the opinions of a wider group of people, adding more credibility to the statements as they are more of a universal truth.
The fricative alliteration on the words "favor fire" images the sounds of a fire being lit but also draws emphasis on the speakers personal opinion.
The use of enjambment starting in line 6 until the end of the poem speeds up the pace in which the reader reads it. This could possibly reflect the impending destruction of the world coming closer.
Lastly, there are some biblical implications in the poem. "From what I tasted of desire" is similar to the Genesis story of Adam and Eve where they tasted the apple due to desire. Therefore, the poet is trying to show how sinful actions are likely to lead to the destruction of the world.