2 days ago
- Robert Frost's poem 'Mending Wall' contrasts forces that dismantle walls with a human affection for them, particularly New England's historic stone walls.
- The author's personal journey into walling began with restoring a family property's wall, evolving into a skilled trade after quitting an editing job during the pandemic.
- Stone walls in New England, once functional farm boundaries, now serve as ornamental markers, reflecting historical agricultural shifts and human labor.
- Building walls blends manual skill with intellectual problem-solving, akin to writing, as each stone placement contributes to structural and aesthetic coherence.
- Despite their eventual decay due to natural forces, walls symbolize human creativity and the desire to create enduring, beautiful structures in the landscape.