Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Which Way Do We Go? Here Comes the Bus!

I'm driving the bus on November 15, and even using a trusty map, a GPS, and my innate sense of direction, I'm still idling here where two roads diverge. Which way do we go? Robert Frost says it makes all the difference.

The challenge for passengers this week will be to write about one of the following:
(1) a time you had to choose between two clearly divergent paths; (2) a time you were called to walk a  path you didn't choose for yourself; or (3) a time you refused to travel the path you were called to follow.  If these won't work for you, write anything about a choice you made. Drop me a note here when your poem is ready, and I'll link in the post above.

In the words of that great word person Yogi Berra, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."


...or in the words of Robert Frost...



THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
by Robert Frost

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.

30 comments:

  1. Hmmm - I'll need to do some thinking on this one.

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  2. We shall see, what we shall see!

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  3. In the words of California's great lame-duck governor: I'll be back!

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  4. great challenge, tough and meaty!!

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  5. Carl Sandburg, just to jerk Frosts chain would have told him to take the road to "Chicago" where he may have gotten this advice:

    The Road and the End

    I SHALL foot it
    Down the roadway in the dusk,
    Where shapes of hunger wander
    And the fugitives of pain go by.
    I shall foot it
    In the silence of the morning,
    See the night slur into dawn,
    Hear the slow great winds arise
    Where tall trees flank the way
    And shoulder toward the sky.

    The broken boulders by the road
    Shall not commemorate my ruin.
    Regret shall be the gravel under foot.
    I shall watch for
    Slim birds swift of wing
    That go where wind and ranks of thunder
    Drive the wild processionals of rain.

    The dust of the traveled road
    Shall touch my hands and face.

    Carl Sandburg 1916

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  6. happily what i didn't finish last week fits just nicely into this prompt. i think i'll be claiming that first seat...

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  7. After reading the Sandburg, I just want to bury my head in shame! What great writing! Thanks, Walking Man!

    As for the prompt...I have no idea what to write!

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  8. Yes what a difference that choice that can make... amazing poem and image.

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  9. I doubted if I should ever come back....

    How very true.

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  10. Hoo boy! You don't play around, do you? This one's going to take some time, but I'll get there!

    Kat

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  11. Hi, Karen. Oh, how I love that Frost poem. It is perfect for inspiration. Oddly enough, I've been thinking a lot about that poem lately. I'm definitely on Path #2 right now, which is why I'm extra slow lately and always find myself apologizing for the slowness. But you know I love you, sis:) I look forward to reading where the bus takes you!

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  12. Good gracious, I'm late finding the prompt this week and that is going to need to some serious thought as my inner bulldozer is not often latent.

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  13. I'm with Karen - I should have read the Sandburg before writing mine. Now it looks like it was written by a 12 year old!

    Heres the link: http://danabugseyeview.blogspot.com/2010/11/poetry-bus-considering-road-untraveled.html

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  14. I'll be hopping on board and posting tomorrow. I'll stop by with the link.

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  15. Thanks for this, Karen. I just wrote and posted mine here: http://hyggedigter.blogspot.com/2010/11/poetry-bus-roads-taken-and-not.html

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  16. I'm on the bus and here's my seat: http://muse-swings.blogspot.com/2010/11/sepia-saturda-meets-poetry-bus-free.html

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  17. Great prompt, Karen! Love that Robert Frost!
    Okay, mine is up here:
    http://www.revolutionaryrevelry.blogspot.com

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  18. Hi Karen. Great prompt. I have posted mine at http://picsandpoems.blogspot.com/

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  19. I played! I posted mine here:
    http://reverentirreverence.blogspot.com/2010/11/riding-poetry-bus.html

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  20. ah yes, a link thing
    http://travelsinthefloatingelvis.blogspot.com/2010/11/sea-without.html

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  21. Hi Karen, a prompt for deep thinking for sure. Anyhow hopefully I'm on time to catch the bus!
    My ticket is at http://120socks.blogspot.com

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  22. Hi Karen,

    I enjoyed the challenge, I've got mine up here:

    http://agcaint.blogspot.com/2010/11/hopping-on-bus-while-straying-from-path.html

    Thanks!

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  23. Here's my ticket!

    http://childofafrostymorning.blogspot.com/2010/11/pinch-hitting-for-lc-roads-ive-taken.html

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  24. I have posted my bus entry for this week. Sorry I can;t provide a link as I just cannot manage to do them.
    The poem you post above is one of my favourites. I visited Frost's grave in Long Bennington churchyard last year - beautiful village, beautiful peaceful churchyard, where he lies with many of his family.

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  25. I wrote a little piece for you and posted it.

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  26. Gosh what a nice idea... do you do this every week?

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  27. Thanks, everyone, for hopping aboard! The roads have been bumpy, potholed, and nonexistent, and all of them have been great fun to travel.

    California girl Chris Alba will be driving next Monday, so stop by Enchanted Oak for the prompt.

    Thanks, TFE, for fueling the bus!

    (Carmela - We do this every Monday, but the prompt is usually up by Thursday or Friday. Look on my sidebar for Enchanted Oak, and play along!)

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  28. Thanks for an excellent prompt, Karen. My protagonist makes a choice and begins a quest that he follows for the rest of his life.

    To check it out, please click on my name above.

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  29. My long time favourite poem from gorgeous Frosty ...AND....then another goody -goody from Sandburg. Oh glorious Wednesday!

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