The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost

The Road Not Taken , by Robert Frost 1874–1963, remains my philosophy of life.

I have not pursued this consciously, hence I would take the blocks on the Road Not Taken in to my stride every time. I could have converted this pleasure into success, too, if I would have been more painstaking enough to plan the course the moment I was on a Rad Not Taken.

This not a regret, just a candid introspection, of my first innings………

Here is the poem and couple of interesting related video clips:

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.

Courtesy: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536#poem

 

Robert Frost reads The Road Not Taken  

Kevin Murphy, Professor of English at Ithaca College, examines the discrepancy between Robert Frost’s popularity during his lifetime and the darker implications of his poetry, as exemplified by one of his most cherished poems. Filmed in 1992.

Uploaded by IthacaCollege on Feb 29, 2008

And here is Robert Frost’s famous poem – The Road Not Taken- visualized!

Uploaded by janmensen on Apr 26, 2007

Author: ASHOK M VAISHNAV

In July 2011, I opted to retire from my active career as a practicing management professional. In the 38 years that I pursued this career, I had opportunity to work in diverse capacities, in small-to-medium-to-large engineering companies. Whether I was setting up Greenfield projects or Brownfield projects, nurturing the new start-ups or accelerating the stabilized unit to a next phase growth, I had many more occasions to take the paths uncharted. The life then was so challenging! One of the biggest casualty in that phase was my disregards towards my hobbies - Be with The Family, Enjoy Music form Films of 1940s to mid-1970s period, write on whatever I liked to read, pursue amateur photography and indulge in solving the chess problems. So I commenced my Second Innings to focus on this area of my life as the primary occupation. At the end of 12 years now, even as I have evolved a certain pattern for my blog, I need to plan to create certain definitive changes in that pattern over next year or two. Because, The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

11 thoughts on “The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost”

  1. The road less traveled by has ALWAYS been my footpath! Wonderfully happy geeky ol’ lady am I! Bless you for reminding us of this better way to travel through life here!

    1. One always keeps on thinking the one is the only traveler to take up Roads Not Taken.
      But, that is not the case, as can be seen in this example.
      In fact, there is an unexplained, consciously unseen synergy of the spirited efforts of such travelers.
      This is what Einstein has to say on this phenomenon:
      “A hundred times everyday I remind myself that my inner and outer life depended on the labours of other(s) [men], living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to to give in the the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.”

  2. Thanks for teaching me. I am indebted to you as I never heard of this beautiful poem and I am amazed at the simplicity and the philosophy. I am lucky I got to know you Sir. I do not know which road I took as I have been travelling the whole night.

    1. “Travelling the whole night” – what a metaphor!
      Carry on the life’s assigned tasks during the day [conscious time] and move on the whole night [total of subconscious and unconscious mind], leaving behind what has happened, which was to happen in any case.

  3. It’s my favorite poem too 🙂 and I also love, “The woods are lovely dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep’ by Frost on ‘Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening’ 🙂

  4. Just remembered Javed Akhtar reciting his poetry on Doordarshan:

    Judhar jate hain sab jana udhar achcha nahi lagta

    1. I have heard of this recital, but do not have opportunity to listen it. Now that you have mentioned it, I would search it out on internet.
      Thanks.

  5. Shri Vivek Manhar Tailor has penned a dilemma of a decision taken before 24 ‘calenders’ in his poem “The road not taken“. and has put forward a lingering a doubt of the ‘correctness’ of that decision.
    He poignantly poses a question – Whether it is [still] required to ‘talk’ about the “differences” that choice between ‘either or’ have [ or have not?!] made?

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