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A Roadside Stand

Question
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What is the childish longing that the poet refers to? Why is it vain?

Solution

Robert Frost in the poem ‘A Roadside Stand’ has given a very lively picture of the poor rural people waiting for the polished city traffic to stop at the stand and help them with money. The poet thinks that they suffer from a childish longing.

They wait there all the day long to hear the sound of cars to stop there by applying its brakes. They wait so eagerly but hardly anyone of the thousand passing cars stop there. They keep their windows to attract them but all in vain. They don’t complain about but the sadness of the untold trusting sorrow lurks on their faces.

Their hope of getting some help of money or cash flow remains unfulfilled. Their all day wait longing proves to be the childish longing in vain. The poor innocent rural people get deeply hurt.