Poem #3: "The Road Not Taken"

"The Road Not Taken" Robert Frost 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;	5
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,	10
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.	15
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.	20

What did you gather from this poem?

To state it simply enough, a traveler has come to a crossroads. There are two paths to choose from. They have been equally walked. He ponders that he may be able to travel one and come back to take the other, but knows that they may not be a possibility. Roads take you to new roads, which take you to other paths, and so on. So he doubts that he may be able to travel his second choice path, so he knows he needs to make the right decision. He decides to take the path that is less traveled and it changed his life.

So, this is a pretty powerful, meaningful poem. It shows how important it is to make the right choices in life.
Did you notice the discrepancy between the paths being equally worn and one path being less traveled? The paths were actually equally worn, but he will tell people that he took the path less traveled. Why do you think he added this in the poem? It may be because he has doubted his decision. A sigh expresses remorse or fear. He may second guess the path he chose. But it's important to continue down the path.

Do you think the picture above is an example of how crucial a life decision can be? 

Can you relate to this? Was your successful path less traveled or equally worn?
What difference has this made in your life?

Crossroads is a symbol within this poem. A symbol is something that represents an idea. So, what is a crossroads representing? It can show the importance of a decision; of what path you choose to take. It can symbolize a turning point in someone's life. Your choices affect your life, and no matter what path you choose, change is bound to happen.
Can you find any other symbols?

Poetry can be a great outlet for expressing events in life. Give it a try. Write a poem about the path you've taken. Good luck!