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The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost 1874 (San Francisco) – 1963 (Boston)

Nature

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. Rate this poem:(3.02 / 159 votes)

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified by acronimous

: 43 sec read
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Robert Frost

Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. more…

All Robert Frost poems | Robert Frost Books

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4zebra2u
Hi I'm new here but not new to poetry, poetry platforms , both passive and interactive, being published and participating in over a hundred workshops. On that basis I do have some thoughts for what its worth in terms of your desire to create more dynamic engagement, relevance and expansion. I notice that with in a split second of posting a poem I have been favorited. I love attention but what does it mean if it is produced by a algorithm, and my fan is a cyborg? Do you think this site needs to create frequent and real interaction? Everyone wants attention, to be read and to be read by someone they respect and whos opinion strikes a chord and that they TRUST. One of the challenges of workshops is that there's lots of inexperienced writers critiquing each other. Its improbable that much is gained except frustration under those circumstances, although being favorited or kind comments by another is always encouraging. So the question remains how to create a structure to accomplish this if you want it? Nothing is easy, nothing is perfect. How does one hear criticism without feeling discouraged? Every light casts a shadow, yet with out dynamic interaction and those points of illumination there is only posting into a void and the emotional emptiness that comes with it. Perhaps these are something's you are already thinking about? Best Z more »
LikeReplyReport 22 days ago
- acronimous
  Dear Z, thanks for your feedback -- it's a true honor to have someone in your capacity and experience joining us -- welcome aboard! With regard to your suspicions about being favorite by a bot, I can assure you we're not going to play such games here -- there will be no monkey business whatsoever on the new Poetry.com website. What happened is that our new system is structured in a way that when a member creates a new poet record, he/she automatically becomes a fan of this author. This is done so any further interaction around this poet, such as future favorites by other members or comments posted on its work, will be communicated to the originated member. I hope that helps, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful work posted... more »
  LikeReplyReport 11 day ago
MoonFlowers
I liked how the website was before. This is hard to navigate and it doesn’t feel like it’s meant for just anyone to share their poetry. Before it felt more open to anyone to share. Also how am I supposed to find poems that I don’t already know the name of? more »
LikeReplyReport6 days ago
- acronimous
  We do appreciate your feedback -- this is only version 1.0 of the new Poetry.com, and we'll certainly do our best to improve it on next versions. In regards to the searching for poems without knowing their title, we also provide the option to search by poet name or within the poem content by keywords. more »
  LikeReplyReport4 days ago
Supah_usa
Everytime you change your site my poetry and name vanishes?
LikeReplyReport9 days ago
- acronimous
  We are trying to find a way to bring back some of the old poems -- we'll reach out with our findings in the next few weeks...
  LikeReplyReport4 days ago
Shanmcclain
I loved it
LikeReplyReport9 days ago
- acronimous
  Glad to hear that!
  LikeReplyReport9 days ago
JhainDoh
Welcome all New visitors to this site. I hope you read something inspirational and motivational. This is my 1st time exploring the site and posting some of my works. As I continue to explore I hope their are many networking possibilities on this site. more »
LikeReplyReport 417 days ago
emongo_e
i love it,
LikeReplyReport 43 months ago
John MacEwen
Red lights green lights strawberry lime A girl just died and she was a friend of mine We used to sing and dance and twirl in the pines But now shes gone and she was a friend of mine laugh out loud and cry inside life’ so large... Who’s in charge lost track of time Now she’s gone. And she was a friend of mine I never thought I’d feel the way I do now I never thought I could feel so much pain Oh God please. Wait...God can’t stop the rain Now she’s gone and she was a friend of mine. more »
LikeReplyReport 139 months ago
Mohammad Helmi ELsallab
wonderful
LikeReplyReport 310 months ago
- STANDS4
  Thanks Mohammad, appreciated...
  LikeReplyReport 19 months ago
Hassan Hegazy
Good work
LikeReplyReport 111 months ago
- STANDS4
  Thanks Hassan!
  LikeReplyReport 510 months ago
Emad Alzayat
I have very nice poem for hospital work.
LikeReplyReport 511 months ago
Iftikhar Ahmed
Reading of beautiful poerty composed by all eminent poets is my lust.
LikeReplyReport 11 year ago
Iftikhar Ahmed
When I compose any poem it console my heart, mind and soul. I become fresh and feel a sense of pleasure and achievement. The use of rhymic beauty, alliterations, allegory and imagery causes extraordinary attraction in the poetry. I have a passionate lover of such a poetry. more »
LikeReplyReport 41 year ago
Lynn Dowless
Often I feel that I am an observer of sight, a receiver of sensations, about which I write, and such is my only purpose in life. Who, pray tell dear one, shall be around to make the record when its all done? more »
LikeReplyReport 11 year ago
Janet Grace Esson-Scott
THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE-RAS CARDO REGGAE- FROM TRENCH TOWN. WHY IS IT THAT YOU HAVE OTHERS USING HIS NAME? THIS MUST CHANGE TO SHOW THE TRUTH. THERE IS ONLY ONE- RICARDO (RAS CARDO)SCOTT ALSO FROM TRENCH TOWN WHO MENTORED BOB MARLEY AND PETER TOSH. THOSE USING HIS NAME AND COPYRIGHTED PROPRIETARY DESIGNATIONS MUST STOP. WHAT IS POSTED SO FAR USING HIS EMAIL ON QUOTES AND BIOGRAPHIES SEEMS TO BE OK AT THIS TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU REGARDING THIS POSTING PROTECTION. SINCERELY. more »
LikeReplyReport1 year ago
Jahnique-Angel Hicks-Church
RED LIGHT was written by myself ......... JAHNIQUE--NGEL....HICKS Thankyou
LikeReplyReport 21 year ago
Walter Jackson
Most modern writers lack the skill and drive to possess our minds for very long. I want to be driven to think and having done so, realize another step in my life's dream.
LikeReplyReport 22 years ago
- Jesus M Jacinto
  Yet the timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness. Because you conceive of time as a stream, a change within you, there is something which is changeless. You can call it timeless because you are accustomed to time being synonymous with change. That timeless within you, that unchanging within you is aware of the innermost core of existence too, is aware that all change is superficial. more »
  LikeReplyReport1 year ago
Walter Jackson
EmilyDickinson is one of my favorite writers as is Walt Whitman, different yet both tough the inner soul so resolutely.
LikeReplyReport 12 years ago
Mark Verrell
Would i trade the words to stand alone, and be a poet whose words stand in stone Would i trade words to keep me in verse and rythme For all time Would i trade the words to flip sonnet and lyre on the toss of a dime Yes i would trade words for sure to make it certain my words endure Yes id trade words that keep my words in place and bring a smile to your face more »
LikeReplyReport 12 years ago
Walter Jackson
Hard to believe, but men at war like to remember their loves. As real as war and death are to a soldier; quiet moments in the trenches with a picture of a love is just as compelling and real!
LikeReplyReport 12 years ago
Mark Verrell
She is GREAT, TIMELESS. AN AMERICAN TREASURE
LikeReplyReport 22 years ago
Walter Jackson
He speaks well of sharing life as a soldier not just an officer. But the plain bread and salt too.
LikeReplyReport 22 years ago
Walter Jackson
Can't fault Kipling, reading him is like drinking spring water!
LikeReplyReport 22 years ago
Mark Verrell
I wasnt like you getting lost in the words of the poet.i wasnt like you being enthralled and taken by all those words and verses.i needed more warmth than that and more TRUTH,you know to tell you the truth i needed you the you without all that.yes i needed you more than you knew.more than romantic places and more than exotic artifacts and legends i needed you even when. There was nothing to gain when there was only a future of being shunned and disrespected i needed wanted you. Can you beat that more »
LikeReplyReport 12 years ago
Mark Verrell
"your body makes eyes at me" has more zing
LikeReplyReport 22 years ago