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Open Poetry #32
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The Road Not Worth Taking
| Open Poetry #32 |
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The Road Not Worth Taking |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass 
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The Road Not Worth Taking I stood there dithering in the woods as if the leaves might tell me secrets; then chose one for the shallowest reasons and of course it was the wrong one. It led down over rocks to a slough, then on around with warm creek swales, on the hot side of the valley. The other road was better, I can see the track of it along the ridge; cooler, with a view from time to time. Yes, that would be the way to go. Why didn’t I understand that when I had the option? Had a map, didn’t look at it. Too far back there now, it’s Thursday and I have a long way to go, to get home before the weekend. Hill’s too steep to climb here, the trees can’t even do it, so I’ll travel this road, if only because I have no other choice. |
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| © Copyright 2004 Ed Ratledge - All Rights Reserved | |||
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nakdthoughts Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200Between the Lines |
know the feeling... sometimes I have not even wanted to choose...it was the best of two evils for me M |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Ah...this was one of them that got washed away; but only for a short time... it just took yet another fork in the road, and met you, 'round the bend. I knew it would come back to you. I had faith. |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
It was a seance....Bobby Frost whispered it to me...the real story, not the PR version! ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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Pilgrimage Member Elite
since 2001-12-04
Posts 3945Texas, USA |
The road less traveled is that way because no one wants to go where it's going! I like this little tongue-in-cheek poem. Nan (Pilgrim variety) |
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Kaoru
since 2003-06-07
Posts 3892where the wild flowers grow |
Heh, well, I know how that goes! |
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garysgirl 
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
I wonder how differently things would have been if some had taken the other road in life?? Something to think about.  Hugs,  |
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RobertB Senior Member
since 1999-09-26
Posts 1104Champaign, IL |
the old fork in the road... I had a friend who had a chance to take a job in Illinois or stay and keep his shop in Missouri. He took the Illinois fork and a car fell on him. He died instantly. The fork in the road to Illinois was the wrong road. RB |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
understood |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
I love this, my friend... It can be read lightly as a tip of the hat to a fine poet... (and the male distaste for maps and asking directions LOL) but it offers such depth... and leaves me pondering the paths we choose and how we keep going forward even when we know we'll find no satisfaction in the destination. *S* Fear of choosing wrong stymies so many... they simply stand and let moss cover them. At least you chose... "And that has made all the difference"... and some incredibly fine poetry. *S* |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
Someone (NOT poetically inclined) asked me this morning why she felt compelled to take the road less travelled, and further, why was that road always so full of hardship for her. I could not answer the deeper question, but I asked her to reflect on the reasons the road less taken was in fact chosen by fewer people. There was a deep silence on the phone for a long while; then she laughed and said, "...because those roads really suck!" It is true that poets often are driven to take these roads, but it may also be true that these less travelled roads do really suck. *laugh* Thanks for sharing this with us. |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
I find the supermarket line not worth taking...I alwsys end up in the slowest line...James |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Ed...Thought filled for me to read this...and think how those hard roads I've taken were what led me to so many good things...like poetry.  |
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CastleGuard Senior Member
since 2003-04-30
Posts 760Alberta, Canada |
Yeah, Ratleader, but.... ...had you taken the better one, would you have written a poem about it? Would you have even remembered the trip? Seems to me, poets tend to take the less travelled roads....BECAUSE they suck.  Loved the poem. Nice slant on the famous one.... CG |
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