How does Robert Frost, the poet, bring out in this poem that progress and development is unequal between the cities and the villages leading to feelings of distress and unhappiness among the rural people?

Ans. Robert Frost, in his poems, usually focuses on the theme of human tragedies and fears and their ultimate acceptance or their solution. In 'A Roadside Stand', he deals with the lives of poor deprived people of the villages with a clarity that is perceptive and at the same time portrays his deepest sympathies and his feelings of humanity. In this poem, the poet describes the feelings of the owners of a roadside shed who seem to wait interminably for the motorists passing in their shiny cars, to stop and buy something from what has been displayed there for sale. They long for the cash that is a symbol of poverty alleviation in their lives of deprivation. It appears to be a vain hope, however, because nobody buys anything.

The poet is outraged at the callous attitude of the government, the civic authorities and the social service agencies who appear to help them but actually end up harming them. The news says that these poor people are to be relocated to the vicinity of the towns and that they will be well looked after. However, the poet regards this as a great disservice to the people who will be thus robbed of their voices, their freedom and the ability to find solutions to their problems.