Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) was an American poet. He is well known for his realistic writings of rural life and his use of American informal (slang) speech. His poems were often set in rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, and used these settings to look at complex social and philosophical themes. Frost has often been quoted by other people. He was honored often during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
I’m not the best when it comes to poetry. But I love this poem. It speaks about something to which we can all relate. What do you think about it?
I think that’s very true. Everyone makes choices everyday, some big, some small, and we never know for sure what the choices will mean in the future.
Because it was funny poetry
There is a little humor in this poem. Frost often used subtle humor in his poems.
Sorry,I do not understand,the poems is difficult to me. Annie
Yes, it is not a simple poem, but with a little practice and patience I’m sure you can understand and enjoy it.
I got it like that when you make a different decision,you will have a different life.In all of our life, we always need to make choice,A or B???Every choice you make will have a different ending. Sarah chen
Good interpretation, Sarah. The poem is definitely about the choices we make (or the choices we don’t make) and how they impact us.
Jane Huang says:
I need to more time to study the poems,it is difficult.
This poem does take a little time to understand and be comfortable with. One of the great things about poetry is that we can take our time to understand poems. Often a poems meaning will change for us depending on when we read it in life.
I like this poem. Life is to give up and choice.
Glad you enjoy it, Lois. Take a look at some of his other poems and let us know if you find any you also enjoy.
I like poetry because It is not like to essay, It hide your mind to understand his people have a resonance
Yes, poetry is very different from essays and prose writing. It’s a chance to break rules and for people to express themselves and communicate with each other in unique ways. Have you tried the poetry magnets in lobby at 175 Eldridge St.? It’s a lot of fun 🙂
Some people say Frost wrote this poem to tease his friend, Edward Thomas, who was never able to make up his mind and often regretted small decisions-
“Repeatedly Thomas would choose a route which might enable him to show his American friend a rare plant or a special vista; but it often happened that before the end of such a walk Thomas would regret the choice he had made and would sigh over what he might have shown Frost if they had taken a “better” direction. More than once, on such occasions, the New Englander had teased his Welsh-English friend for those wasted regrets. . . . Frost found something quaintly romantic in sighing over what might have been. Such a course of action was a road never taken by Frost, a road he had been taught to avoid.”
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/frost/road.htm
Do you know anyone like this?