“A Time to Talk,” my version of the poem

by Richard Subber | Apr 14, 2026 | My poetry, Poetry, Reviews of other poets

I welcome the time…

I decided to entertain myself at breakfast in the Linden Ponds Café

by doing this little re-write

of Robert Frost’s memorable poem, “A Time to Talk.”

I kept his rhythm and rhyme, I made the text a bit smoother,

I think I preserved his earthy friendly tone.

A Time to Talk, Rick’s version

When a friend calls down to me from the road

   and slows his horse to just a walk,

I don’t stand still and look around

   on all the hills I haven’t hoed,

and shout from where I am: “What is it?”

I know to welcome time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,

blade-end up and five feet tall,

I start to climb to the old stone wall

   for a friendly visit.

February 3, 2025

Hingham, MA

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Frost’s original version, it’s in the public domain:

A Time to Talk

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

When a friend calls to me from the road

And slows his horse to a meaning walk,

I don’t stand still and look around

On all the hills I haven’t hoed,

And shout from where I am, What is it?

No, not as there is a time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,

Blade-end up and five feet tall,

And plod: I go up to the stone wall

For a friendly visit.

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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2026 All rights reserved.

Book review: An Empire on the Edge

by Nick Bunker

The British wanted to win

       the Revolutionary War,

    but they had good reasons

        for not trying too hard…

click here

–

many waters: more poems with 53 free verse poems,

and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)

and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”

Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.

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