This spoken-word performance of Robert Frost’s Christmas Trees, subtitled A Christmas Circular Letter, evokes memories of my childhood in Western North Carolina. Growing up in a house surrounded by acres of woods on Brevard Road, just eight miles outside of Asheville, Christmas meant venturing into the forest to find the perfect tree. I remember dragging fresh-cut pines through the snow, placing them in the front window overlooking the lane, and marveling at their natural beauty. Back then, I didn’t know Christmas trees were a business—I thought everyone harvested their own from the woods.

Robert Frost’s poem captures a similar sense of rural simplicity and wonder. The narrative describes rolling hills full of untamed pine trees on a New Hampshire farm. When a man from the city offers the farm owner a mere $30 for all 1,000 of his trees—valued at three cents apiece—the farmer refuses, valuing the quiet wealth of his land over money. Instead, he writes a Christmas circular letter to his friends, sharing his thoughts and gratitude for the season.

In this timeless poem, Frost paints a vivid winter scene: snow-blanketed hills, stark trees silhouetted against a cold, clear sky, and the late afternoon sun slipping toward the horizon. The simplicity of the setting mirrors the heart of the story—a reflection of the true meaning of value, connection, and the enduring beauty of nature.

Join me as I bring Robert Frost’s words to life. Enjoy the show.

Christmas Trees By Robert Frost performed by James Navé

Provocative Conversations from Twice 5 Miles Radio is a podcast devoted to candid, often surprising exchanges with artists, thinkers, and cultural instigators who speak from the core. Each episode dives beneath the surface to explore the stories and questions that shape our lives.

I’m James Navé—poet, storyteller, educator, and longtime creative collaborator. With an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and decades of teaching experience across the globe, I help writers and performers tap into their authentic voices through public speaking, creative writing, and the Imaginative Storm method, which I co-developed with Allegra Huston.

My most recent book, 100 Days: A Poetic Memoir After Cancer (3: A Taos Press), documents a hundred days of healing and poetic reckoning. I’m also co-author of Write What You Don’t Know and How to Read for an Audience—practical guides for anyone seeking to speak and write with more truth and power.

I’ve directed festivals, hosted literary salons, taught with Julia Cameron, and memorized over 600 poems. I still believe in the power of a well-told story, the light through stained glass, and the open road with nothing but a podcast and a windshield full of stars.

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