2. 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,
3. 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.
4. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
The poet is at a fork in the jungle. It is fall and the
leaves are turning yellow.
And sorry I could not travel both
The poet has a desire to travel on the both but he
cannot.
5. And be one traveler, long I stood
He waits for a long time to make his decision.
And looked down one as far as I could
He look at a road as far as he can. (metaphorically
looking future)
To where it bent in the undergrowth
But he can only look up to first bent because of bushes.
(metaphorically man can’t predict future much)
6. Then took the other, as just as fair,
Then he takes the other road which one seems equal to
the other he first sees.
And having perhaps the better claim,
Perhaps this one is better but the poet is not sure.
7. Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
He thinks so because it is grassy and not worn.
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
But the poet thinks that the two paths are equal. ‘as for
that’ refers to the path less worn. And ‘passing there’
means walking.
8. And both that morning equally lay
The both paths on that morning seem equal.
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Leaves on the roads are fresh, not crushed by stepping
and turned into black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
The poet desires to travel on the other road someday.
{like our incomplete wishes} (strong desire- ‘!’ at the
end)
9. Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
The poet hopes so although he knows that road leads
to other roads. Maybe this one will also do the same.
I doubted if I should ever come back.
And he doubts whether he will be able to come back
and take the other road which one he now rejects.
10. I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
After many years from now, the poet will tell with a
sigh; maybe in happiness or maybe in sorrow.
11. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
He will tell about the two roads. He will tell about his
decision that he chooses one which is less traveled by
and it makes difference; makes him successful or
failure. (Metaphorically indicates the conflict on
taking decision on two or more equal options)
12. The poet is at a fork in a jungle.
He has to choose a way although he desires to go on
both.
After looking at one for a long time, he chooses the
other.
It is less travelled and does not look worn. For this,
the poet thinks that perhaps this one is better.
13. The poet then thinks that the roads are equal.
The poet desires to take the other some day but is
doubtful.
After many years he will tell about the two roads.
He will tell how his decision has made the change.
14. The theme of the poem is the concept of making
choices.
The poet has to choose a road of the two and it makes
all the differences.
It metaphorically symbolizes the conflict of choosing
an option out of many in real life.