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| Copyright 2011, Marie Patchen |
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 kept 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.
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 kept 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.
Robert Frost, 1915
Put yourself into the picture.
Where do these two paths lead? If you had a choice, which path would you take, and why? Why are you standing here, having to make this decision? What events led you to be in this situation, where you must make the choice between the two?
What lies at the end of each path?
You can choose to write this from your own point of view as a journal entry, or you might choose to use it as a character exploration for one of your fictional characters. Or, make up your own story, with your own character(s).
Post it on your blog, and leave a link in the comments section below to share if you would like to, also.
Happy writing!
I'm taking the one on the right because I don't want to be run over by a train! It also looks shadier, which would be nice in the mid-day sun.
ReplyDeleteWhere do they go? Well, I think the train tracks go someplace bustling and self-important. The dirt road leads to someplace off the beaten path. Perhaps a waterfall or a ghost town. I think I'll take a picnic lunch with me.
I like the one on the right as well... it's a private meandering road that follows the river and has the most fantastic views. A picnic lunch is suggested. There's a lot to see. ;-)
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