As part of the life cycle, human beings pass throughout different situations and moments of introspection. "After Apple-Picking" by Robert Frost, is an example of insight observation and life examination. The narrator directs the reader to be interested and sympathized with his own feelings. The poem clearly gives the idea of human introspection and thinking about life, which is something people do most of the time. At the end of the day, we are all by ourselves with our feelings. "After Apple-Picking" is an amazing poem that makes me think about the narrator feelings. In this case, apples come to be a main tool to describe the thoughts of the narrator, his feelings, and some other things he did or did not do on life. At the beginning of the poem, the narrator is describing his life as an apple tree. He refers to the ladder as a connection between life and heaven. Also, he states "And there's a barrel that I didn't fill" as something missing in his life. He uses the apples he did not pick up as those things he left behind. People sometimes have things or opportunities in life and they just simply let them pass through as apples on the grass. Sometimes we feel nostalgic about it, and sometimes we imagine and picture how different it could be if we did pick up the apples.
I strongly believe this poem is related with one of the six life stages of human growth and development, because it is a real example of human maturity and preparation for our last years. In the poem the narrator is preparing for his death. He is expecting the end of his life cycle and he does it thinking about his passing and mission throughout life. He refers to the end of his days when he states "I am overtired Of the great harvest I myself desired" he is ready to rest in peace grateful about his life. Another metaphorical idea that becomes to the mind of the reader is the seasonal changes. Although, the narrator does not state it, the reader can get the idea of a frosty winter.