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.

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I am reposting this poem again because I just discovered something about this poem that a lot of people tend to misunderstand, which initially I did too. I thought it meant there were two roads and the author chose the one less travelled and "that has made all the difference."

But on closer look of the poem, it is not the case at all. In fact, the poem clearly states that in reality, both roads had been "worn...really about the same" and "both that morning equally lay, in leaves no step had trodden black" (the leaves of both roads -in the morning he had to make the decision- were still fresh and they weren't blackened from people walking on it).

Then an epiphany struck, I discovered the REAL deal of this poem. 

The poem started with the traveller having to choose between two roads as they diverged at a junction in a certain autumn morning. As he was deciding which road to take, he stared long at one, wondering where it'll lead (perhaps he wanted to take that) but in the end he decided to take "the other," because he thought it will be "just as fair". Hence, in order to make a "better claim" for his choice, he convinced himself that he took that route "because it was grassy and wanted wear".

However, in reality, he knew that both roads were the same. He did express regret not being able to take both roads but he comforted himself in his knowledge that he will take the first route (which he did not choose) another day, or someday in future. 
"Oh, I kept the first for another day!"


Yet, he walked on, knowing the choice that he had made will ultimately lead him far away from the first choice he left behind. He will never be able to return and walk the first road as he had wished he could. 

"Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back."


I guess the poet was either relieved or regretful that he cannot take the other road.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh." 

However, as the ages passed, he learnt to accept the knowledge that there is no way one can ever be able to walk both paths. That the conviction he made about the other road being "the one less travelled by" (and hence he took it) will make all the difference to where he ultimately ends up in life and be happy with the choice he had made.