The Objection To Being Stepped On



At the end of the row
I stepped on the toe
Of an unemployed hoe.
It rose in offense
And struck me a blow
In the seat of my sense.
It wasn't to blame
But I called it a name.
And I must say it dealt
Me a blow that I felt
Like a malice prepense.
You may call me a fool,
But was there a rule
The weapon should be
Turned into a tool?
And what do we see?
The first tool I step on
Turned into a weapon.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 06, 2023

27 sec read
889

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAABABCCDDBEEFEFGH
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 403
Words 92
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 18

Robert Frost

 · 1963 · Boston

Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in America. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. more…

All Robert Frost poems | Robert Frost Books

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Discuss the poem The Objection To Being Stepped On with the community...

2 Comments
  • Ruthmahogany
    Reflecting on this poem, and how something that could serve us can turn to hurt us if we abuse it.
    LikeReply7 months ago
  • danielf.26171
    good job robert
    :)
    LikeReply3 years ago

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"The Objection To Being Stepped On" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 14 Mar. 2025. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/30924/the-objection-to-being-stepped-on>.

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