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Critical Analysis #1
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jenni
Member
since 1999-09-11
Posts 478
Washington D.C.

0 posted 1999-11-04 08:03 PM


[happy autumn, everyone! my apologies to R.F. for the following.]

The Yellow Wood

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And without slackening pace you exclaimed,
‘Here! We take the road less traveled by!’
Taking a step, and then glancing back and catching my look,
You stopped and snapped ‘Now what?’
An exasperated question, tinged with annoyance.

I stood and looked down each road as far as I could
To where each bent in the undergrowth.
‘Are you sure that’s the right way?’ I asked.
‘Yes,’ you hissed. Impatient with my hesitation,
You scuffed the leaves at your feet into a pile,
And glared at me, jaw set, head tilted
In that way you had of saying without saying
God you are the most frustrating person.
I glared back at you, my jaw as firmly set.
In the distance, the faint sound of a blue jay’s screeching.

‘Look,’ you said, ‘we’ve been hiking all day.
Here’s YELLOW trees, and TWO, count ‘em, TWO roads,’
(Your eyes fairly bulging with such exquisite incredulity)
‘The left hand road is OBVIOUSLY less traveled --
What’s the problem? That’s the one we’re supposed to take, isn’t it?’
And then, under your breath, you muttered,
‘I knew it was a mistake to come out here with you.’

The brisk Autumn air, I suppose, was the mischief in me,
And I wondered if I could put a notion in your head.
‘Why is that the better road to take?
I mean, why, just because someone wrote a poem
Saying he took the road less traveled,
Why do you have to? Or I? Before I went down a road,
Even a road in a yellow wood,
I’d want some idea, maybe not of where it led, exactly,
But at least of where I wanted to go. I wouldn’t
Take someone else’s word for it.’

You stood with your hands on your hips,
Pretending to be fascinated by the stones
Lining the ground along the trial.
Up ahead, I could see -- to the right --
Maples giving way to hemlocks, along the north face of a hill.
We walked in silence on the left hand path, back to the inn.

Later, at dinner, talking of the day’s events with the other guests,
You didn’t think I heard you, but I did,
When you leaned over to the guy from New Jersey
And said, in that mock-suffering tone men use
To bond with each other at a woman’s expense,
Your new-found maxim:
‘Don’t ever go hiking with a female writer.’

I hope you read this ages hence, my one-time love,
With a sigh, and not with bitterness:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and yes,
We took the road you wanted all along --
But you never paused to consider why,
And that made all the difference.
To me.

© Copyright 1999 jenni - All Rights Reserved
jbouder
Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534
Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash
1 posted 1999-11-04 09:12 PM


I enjoyed your story. I found myself wondering, from paragraph to paragraph, what the moral would be (I knew there had to be a moral). Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the road chosen was not so important as one's examination of WHY one road was chosen over another. When others say "Don't confuse me with the facts, I've already made up my mind" those that do ask why tend to get frustrated. Very good story, Jenni. Keep them coming.

------------------
Jim

"Don't confuse me with the facts, I've already made up my mind."


jamaicabradley
Junior Member
since 1999-11-04
Posts 39

2 posted 1999-11-04 11:09 PM


Hello! This was a nice read, the descriptions were very good, but I thought it repeated itself in a few places. Not so much in words exactly but idea, I could really identify with it which of course makes it more accesible to myself anyway. Thank you for the nice read..
Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
3 posted 1999-11-08 12:32 PM


I enjoyed this poem tremendously. The style was just jarring enough to make me smile all the way through but without losing the mood of Frost's poem. Rather, I thought you went back to the original at just the right time. Well done. Please, please, drop that last line though. You don't need it.

I have, throughout my life, been accused of thinking too much. Jenni, my guess is that you are also somewhat familiar with that label.

Brad

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