Re: Design

Fat white spider
White heal-all
Spider holding a moth
Rigid satin clot
Morning light
Witch’s broth
Snow drop spider
Froth
Dead wings
Kite
Innocent flower

There are two contrasting types of images prevalent in this poem. Firstly, there are the images of death and decay centered on the spider and its prey. Secondly, there are the pleasant images of life concerning the flower. Firstly, there is the setting. Blooming flowers imply springtime. We are told that it is the morning. The poet encounters, of all flowers, a heal-all, a plant once prized for its curative properties, now valued for its general beauty.
This picturesque, perhaps cliché scene is marred by the greater part of the images in the poem. The spider is mentioned multiple times, most importantly with the adjectives “dimpled” and “bulbous”. This underlines the spider’s unusual anatomy, and in the context of the poem makes it seem alien or even obscene. The dead moth, wrapped in webbing is a powerful image of death. The two similes of the moth compare it to satin and a kite. One might expect more chilling comparisons than fabric and a toy, but considering another comparison, that of the scene to a witch’s brew, the satin and kite seem more appropriate. It underlines how exotic the scene is. The unique luster of satin is counterpoint to the organic surroundings, and emphasizes the spider’s distinctiveness. The kite simile, on the other hand, seems to be more of a testament to the moth as something that was once glorious in flight but is now not. It is notable that while the similes don’t reference directly disturbing items, they are both quite inanimate.
Having these contrasting images helps Frost when he eventually asks about the nature of”design”. If the imagery he had created had been completely consistent, it would be more of a stretch to ask if God has a strange sense of humor. As it is, however, the “witches potion” of contrasting imagery makes such a question more suitable.