Metaphor A figure of speech in which two basically unrelated items are compared. To Frost, metaphor is the essence of poetry. More than anything else, he is a poet of metaphors. Because this is so critical, we should hear straight from the poet. Here is what he says about them: "A metaphor is a comparison using 'like' as its basis. The more different the things compared, the better the metaphor." Frost was a college professor who also wrote four volumes of poems. He used his teaching position to earn a living while writing full time. His work is considered revolutionary when it comes to language and technique. Frost's poetry is known for its simplicity yet power. His poems are easy to understand but difficult to reproduce. They use simple words but very strong images which make them extremely effective. One of his most famous poems is called "Maine". It's about a lonely fisherman who loses his wife on their wedding day. The poem is very simple but it tells us much about life and death. It's also one of those poems that you can never forget because it stays with you forever. Here are some lines from this beautiful poem: "The moon rose silver over the water. / She had risen late that night, / So her light would not fail him / When he went out again.