The Road Not Taken

Back in the 80's I read a book and saw a movie called The Outsiders. It had every cute boy from that era in the movie and every girl I know saw it a million times. I became slightly obsessed with the writings of S.E. Hinton and before computers or on demand television, would read different chapters of the books over and over again. When the two main characters of The Outsiders are hiding out in the church they come to find out they appreciate things in life like books and poetry and sunsets. Johnny remembers a poem he read by Robert Frost called Nothing Gold Can Stay about how beauty is fleeting and we have to appreciate the beautiful moments in life when they are happening. Being obsessed with all things Outsiders at the time you can imagine my joy when I found a book of poems by Robert Frost in our book shelves. (If Johnny and Ponyboy liked him then he was good enough for me!) The Road Not Taken actually struck something in me in the ninth grade.(Apparently I was really deep back then) It remains one of my favorite poems to this day and little did I know a book of poems I would read because Ralph Macchio told me it was cool would lead me to find the poem that I would identify with for all of my life.

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