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The Wayfarer The Road Not Taken

By Stephen Crane (1871-1900) By Robert Frost (1874-1963)

The wayfarer Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

Perceiving the pathway to truth,
Was struck with astonishment.
It was thickly grown with weeds.
“Ha,” he said
“I see that none has passed here
In a long time.”
Later he saw that each weed
Was a singular knife.
“Well,” he mumbled at last,
“Doubtless there are other roads.”
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 road diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Poetry Analysis
Compare and contrast the two poems. Consider the symbols in both- a path. Consider
also the tone (the writer’s attitude toward his/her subject/audience and mood (the feeling
created in the reader) of each poem. Lastly, consider the theme (unstated message or
lesson) of each poem. Grammar and spelling count, observe the conventions, and provide
elaboration and detail.

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1. Symbol:

2. Tone and mood:

3. Theme: