Since it can be classified as a pastoral poem, a major underlying theme in Frost’s “October” is nature. The poem is firmly and almost exclusively grounded in the natural world, with the speaker of the poem even appealing to nature itself as represented by the addressee of the poem, the “October morning” (Lines 1, 7). Nature is the surface-level yet primary subject of the poem–it is both the addressee and the source material of all images–yet is also more generally understood as a metaphor to represent one’s own life as well as time.

Frost employs liberal use of nature metaphors throughout “October,” providing a distinct image of the countryside in autumn. His natural imagery is evocative of the autumnal season and reveals Frost’s own locality. His strong ties to New England provide additional context for the poem, as the image is of a specific autumn—leaves turned vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and red spread across rolling hills.

In “October,” Frost considers the concept of death from the perspective of the natural world. He uses imagery such as dried