Mention Robert Frost and
people instantly think of snowy woods and less-traveled paths and rural
neighbors meeting to fix their stone fence. 
But what does Robert Frost have to do with science?  You might be surprised. Born in 1874, Frost lived
through a remarkable period of scientific progress, including the development
of quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity, the Big Bang theory, the
discovery of the structure of DNA and the beginnings of space travel.  Possessing a powerful intellect driven by
keen curiosity, Frost was highly knowledgeable about the science of his time
and infuses his poetry with imagery and language borrowed from science.    Frost not only uses the language of science
to enrich his poetry in the same way he uses classical, historical, biblical
and literary allusions, but he also uses ordinary language to create
sophisticated metaphors based on scientific concepts such as evolution and
entropy.  A Scientific Companion to Robert Frost represents the first
systematic attempt to catalogue and explain all of the references to science
and natural history in Frost’s poetry.  The
book, which is organized chronologically, uses language that is accessible to
laymen and is supplemented by numerous illustrations, and appendices that
should make it a valuable resource for teachers and scholars.