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Karl Constantine FOLKES 1935 (Portland)
I saw him on the road less taken.
The gentleman named Robert Frost.
While I was frail and quite forsaken.
He, most certainly, was not lost.
While he marched merrily with a fife.
I wore a knapsack on my back.
Burden carried from a distaff life.
Recklessly pursued without knack.
“How fare you maiden, on your way.
Traveling alone without a guide.
I hope your journey is without dismay.
Be careful of the paths that hide!”
I looked at him and saw him smile.
He had a twinkle in one eye.
His charming face seemed without a guile.
It made me shudder with a sigh.
How I since childhood squandered all.
Discouraged by advice given.
Unprepared for eventual fall.
Instead, was selfishly driven.
He sensed my thoughts; and he smiled again.
“Young Miss, you’ll find the road ahead.
Grants you chance of fortune to attain.
By changing course — that way, instead!”
Head nodding, and pointing to the right.
That Robert Frost seemed to make sense.
With quick steps he vanished — out of sight.
Leaving me wandering; quite tense.
The chance was mine to heed what was heard.
Or go astray — a stubborn lass.
I knew his kind words were not absurd,
I must confess it had pizazz.
The thorns pricked me; made me shed a tear.
And looking back, I saw Frost point.
Admittedly, I swear, there was fear.
Voice of reason made me listen.
Summoning strength, I gained new insight.
Road less taken makes a difference.
May keep one out of many a plight.
As a signpost — and a reference.
About this poem
Unlike the strict masculine tone of the ABAAB rhyme scheme of Robert Frost’s five lines, four-stanza 1916 poem “The Road Less Taken,” this poem, “I Saw Him on the Road Less Taken,” with its protagonist as an adventurous maiden, employs a softer, more gentle four lines, twelve-stanza ABAB rhyme scheme to depict the human journey on the byways of life as being more akin to that of John Bunyan’s 1678 allegory, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” displaying the folly of human weaknesses, while revealing the boldness of hidden human strength in the audacity of fearlessness; to dare to take the Dolorosa Road, The Way of Suffering. more »
Written on January 11, 2022
Submitted by karlcfolkes on January 11, 2022
Modified by karlcfolkes
- 1:33 min read
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"Poetry.com" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 7 Feb. 2023. <https://www.poetry.com/>.
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