The Road Not Taken [by Robert Frost...

I think no two would disagree about the greatness of this poem. Its subtext is very subtle .
Indeed many thanks for sharing this great piece sir Geezer.

Indecision so well hesitated in thoughts reflected in this poem,
and so well I too feel this one as when we walk in the woods,
we meet two, or many paths, and have to decide which one to take,
as of course Frost means in life; but we often take the one we think
looks interesting, not taking a map, we find ourselves in unknown tracts,
and doing so make life more exciting. I understand all the undercurrents
of meaning here, and also know and already love this one too my Knight,
a well chosen Greta Poem.

Love from your Queen, wandering in the wilds at whim! Ann.

comments removed
as per my principle
when wrong admit it and say sorry
so here it is
MY SINCERE REGRETS FOR MIS-CONVEYANCE
as I perhaps basked in the sun of IGNORANCE ..
since corrected by moonman
thanks

So thank you. I will continue to read his work

In my opinion Frost is America's greatest poet. But that aside, this particular poem displays about everything a reader could want in poetry. wonderful imagery without over doing it, exacting structure, rhyme which is unforced, and a universal subtext (every day decisions affect our futures). Now to further illuminate how great this poem is, I'll show how a so-so writer might have attempted to convey the same message :
I came to a fork in wooded road
in the middle of the fall
then I faced decision's load
indecision made me stall

It seemed to me both were the same
and after looking far down one
(both unmarred by men or game)
I chose the one shaded from sun

And this was a random choice
made in haste as most are
following some inner voice
I chose just one to follow , far

Knowing that I'd ne'er come back
and have no chance to choose again
I set forth down the least worn track
not knowing of the loss or gain

Looking back from years away
at that choice made in autumn's blaze
having chosen the less worn way
affected all my later days

* same type writing ........far less impact. The difference between "OK" and great.............stan

One of my favoite poems. I don't know why I never listed him as one of my best liked poets on my profile

Linda

I had heard of this works a while back, and had never found it or read it.
To chose this one and its complex thoughts, on which road to travel, then the choice of the one less travelled showed many things.
It could have been also that on the other road many came back because it was the wrong choice, the one less travelled could be the best one as not many came back as they had made the right choice ????"Robert Frost" Born on my Birth date but a few years earlier lol
Must have been a godsend to the USA LA La
???Yours Ian.T

I fell short of feeling the greatness in this one. Without breaks in stanzas I can't follow the rhythm. That's not your problem but, mine. So, not seeing it is most likely an error in me. Everyone else seems to get it. I If I read it over and over again it would only makes it harder for me to get he picture and cause brain fog. It is a short piece so I could read it a couple of times before my eyes go blurry. With that said, I know Robert Frost is a great poets because I've read some of his great poetry.

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.

Can someone justify the use of
''''''and''''' .....
seven times
by this great ....................................... AMERICAN*POET
today you condemn it .

To my mind a poetry is loved
by the jurists
as per their own perception
that''s why seven ...'''''ands'''''...
added a garland of beauty
to this poetry

perhaps that is my concept
of an extraordinary poetry
by an exceptional
poet of USA....

*

I do like this one. One of my old favourites. All those life choices and now, sadly, translated into all those bumper stickers about taking your own path! Hm. Frost's depiction of choice is gorgeous: haunting indecision. Interesting the use of 'and' - poetry of it's time. Rules - whoever decide them- are made, words go in and out of fashion...

I do not share your love for Frost but definitely respect
his eye, this poem you chose is one of his better poems,
even to my cynical self.

I read the other comments and wanted to address what
Loved said, Frost did not win the Nobel, here is a list of
all Nobel prize winners;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates

What he did win was American Poet Laureate for
1958-59, a very prestigious award in our world of words;
http://poetry.about.com/od/poets/a/uslaureates.htm

When I started writing the first book I bought was one
by Frost, I just never saw the greatness but many did and
still do.

Richard

That is having studied it in pretty much every Lit. class I've ever had. I certainly succeeds at nearly every level. I guess if you have a Matisse on your wall, you would often walk by without noticing it. I have no problem with Frost, this is just one of those poems I'm that has oversaturated me with constant exposure. It is an eloquent way of stating how the artist (or just the individual) makes it to the rare and wondrous places some of us attain. I have no complaints about Frost. It would wow me on first exposure I'm sure.

Ron

Like Vivaldi's Seasons, they have been played to DEATH: and yet, if one listens to it again apart from all the ads, and cinema cons, it is there again as pristine as ever. The same with a work of art, I would not find Matisse on my walls for ever, but a Jules Bissier, or Eduardo Chillida sculpture, some things are timeless, and never become objects that tire us.

We have a poster from The Carlsberg Glyptotek, of a Greek sculpture of the Goddess of the Wind (400 BC), her shapes, through the fabric she wears are so.....that we never get tired of looking at her, year in year out, she is still so... everything, gently seductive, sensuous, stilled, at the same time as giving the appearance of movement in such a subtle manner, she has no head, or arms, but that slight sideways leaning of her thigh is irresistibly permanent in its effect on the senses, every day.

We tend to judge a thing by how long we can look at, hear, feel, etc. the object, and some things are timeless like great poetry, great music, great art of any kind, that is what makes them keep the description, GREAT.