In the poem "Birches", Robert frost takes an image of a birch tree whose branches have been worn from the winter, and transforms the literal image into a deeper poem about escaping from the ground and the earth into a safe haven up in the branches, being able to swing freely and return to reality when you please.
             Frost uses symbolism in almost every line of the poem, relating the literal to the imagination. "Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells, shattering and avalanching on the snow crust--- such heaps of broken glass to sweep away, you'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen." This line is a perfect example of his form of writing. He compares the ice melting off of the branches they cover because of the snow, to the illusion that the inner dome of heaven had fallen to the earth like pieces of broken glass to be swept away. Frost brings in the image of a small boy using the tree as his only playmate. He describes how the boy explores every part of the tree, leaving no branch untouched. The branches never break or weaken. They stay strong through all of the trials he puts them through. The boy spends hours in this tree merely playing in a place that no one will interrupt his imagination and carefree spirit.
             Frost goes even further claiming he was once that boy, and now that he has had to face the truths of the world, he wishes he could climb the still familiar branches and escape from everything even for just a short while. He stresses the fact of wanting to leave earth, and spending carefree moments in a place with no worries or fears, referring to the tree, and returning to the earth where he could begin anew. The purpose of the tree has changed since his youth. He once climbed to find happiness through playing; he now wishes to find happiness through escaping earthly situations. He goes onto discuss how he half way wishes the earth would relieve him and he could climb the branc...