For the Writers Island prompt "fork in the road or crossroads:"
At the crossroads,
where one could go either direction;
she chose the road less traveled
and that made all the difference.*
It might have been easier
to take a conventional path
of relative safety and comfort;
of predictability and routine.
But she wanted to fly to the far edges of things, * *
to venture beyond the horizon
where adventures beckoned,
curious and irresistible,
shaped by constant change.
No set boundaries
for this small town girl,
always longing for excitement
and new discoveries.
Even if the road proved bumpy and long,
pearls of wisdom produced along the way:
unexpected blessings.
* A line paraphrased from The Road Not Taken by American poet Robert Frost.
**A line translated from French poet Guillaume Apollinaire.
Photo of cart of vintage luggage at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Station, England.
Hope you don't mind, I'm putting this one on my bathroom mirror to remind me...
Um, I want the above Channel (can't spell it now) dress. The Foxtooth one. OMG, I love that skirt for some reason.
~gg
Posted by: GoGo | 25 January 2008 at 21:36
And isn't she happy she chose that path?! Lovely poem, Tara. xx, JP/deb
Posted by: JanePoe (aka Deborah) | 24 January 2008 at 06:30
I HEART this poem!
Posted by: Alex | 24 January 2008 at 04:01
what a brave and intelligent girl.
when i was looking at writing something for sunday scribblings prompt on fellow travellers, it was Frost's poem that kept coming to mind. I read it at my Grandmother's funeral. She always took the road less travelled.
ps. Tara, I want to thank you for always taking the time to leave comments on each of my posts. it really means a lot to me.
hope your week is going well.
Posted by: awareness | 24 January 2008 at 03:06
What lovely 'pearls of wisdom' they are, that you've found along the way too, Tara - I'm so glad that you share them with us!~xOx
Posted by: tinker | 24 January 2008 at 00:13
...it sounds so familiar!
Posted by: marita | 23 January 2008 at 20:41
Hello Paris,
I like your use of the other poems and enjoyed this piece greatly. I'm surprised you didn't notice my opening line was taken from the same Frost poem.
Take care,
Bob
Posted by: Bob | 23 January 2008 at 20:03
I have left something for you at Sage & Thyme today Tara (January 23rd).
Posted by: Cherie | 23 January 2008 at 18:15
I loved this. Sometimes I think I make life so much more difficult than it should be... but I look back and see how much more I've lived... and how much I would have missed on the highway.
Love.
Posted by: holli | 23 January 2008 at 18:08
My guess is this beautiful poem is taken straight from your book of life!!!
x..x
Posted by: stephanie | 23 January 2008 at 17:47
why,
this is wonderful
and like Cherie above
*i see myself*
^^^No set boundaries
for this small town girl...^^^
:-)
just look at your ClustrMap
<----over there on the left.
see how many you take with you,
from so many places!
i just love that about writing
and blogging...
all the possible places to travel to
even before lunch...
a conventional path???
who needs it, i say,
when the tower in your banner beckons...
Posted by: somepinkflowers | 23 January 2008 at 17:15
Look at all the wonderful places that road has led you! Such a well lived life. You had the passion to take the incredible journey up the road you chose!
Posted by: Pam Aries | 23 January 2008 at 16:07
I am living backwards, I lived that beautiful poem the first part of my life. Now, middle aged, I am a parent to toddlers. The road less traveled or traveled backwards is so much fun than then living a life of fear. You are one of my heros. You are not afraid to take chances, you live like your photos and your writing--profoundly.
Posted by: Yoli | 23 January 2008 at 13:26
Thanks for trying to reach my poem! The link appears to work, because others have written comments using it! I have 5 comments so far! Not sure why it doesn't work for you! I just tried it myself from Writers' Island and it worked immediately!
Maybe try again when you have time?
Smiles and Light
Posted by: Gemma Wiseman | 23 January 2008 at 07:13
Beautiful poem!
Posted by: Forgetfulone | 23 January 2008 at 06:02
First, I see my friend LUCY above has found your site. I sent her the URL last night.....sort of against my better judgment. She's planning on visiting Paris alone and although I find that a courageous and fun idea I'm not so sure I want her traipsing off alone....yes, she did ask if I would join her but that doesn't work for me right now. Anyway, she did find you and is another step closer to Paris. I knew your blogsite would do it.
Second, beautiful poetry you've posted; along with the photo truly lovely. I've enjoyed reading your work at various writing sites.
Lastly, I wondered why none of my comments were surfacing on your site and I finally got the typepad message tonight, so here I am. Thanks again for the influence on a couple of lives from just reading your site a couple of times:)
Posted by: Sunrise Sister | 23 January 2008 at 04:48
Well, I see that my good friend, LUCY, found you. I hesitantly recommended that she "take a look" at your site.....even though I was not so sure I wanted her venturing off alone to Paris. If you haven't checked hers out, I hope that you will http://diamondsintheskywithlucy.blogspot.com
Your poem today is especially beautiful and once more apropos to the journey that Lucy will probably take in reality and that many of us are journeying on in our llives right now. Thanks for writing and sharing it with us.
Posted by: Sunrise Sister | 23 January 2008 at 04:22
First, it is wonderful Tara, to see you beginning to return to the island more regularly! ;)
And secondly -- what a fine bit of verse you have crafted here. Robert would be pleased to be included
"...to venture beyond the horizon
where adventures beckoned,
curious and irresistible,
shaped by constant change."
Super passage.
Posted by: Rob Kistner | 23 January 2008 at 04:16
hey loved this...
*Even if the road proved bumpy and long,
pearls of wisdom produced along the way:
unexpected blessings.
**
that's life most of the time..:)
Posted by: Thinking aloud | 23 January 2008 at 02:32
that is what i love about you the most Tara
~ that wide open sky you see so clearly ~
no set boundries:)
Posted by: maddie | 23 January 2008 at 00:59
I love Robert Frost's poem, which I first read in my teens, and thank you for introducing me to Apollinaire - 'to fly to the far edge of things' sounds really appealing. You have blended these two poems into your own writing very successfully. Great image too.
Posted by: Carole Alexander | 23 January 2008 at 00:14
Adore the feeling of "bated breath" in the poem + the "old world" image suggests many have travelled a road of bated breaths before!
Just love it!
Smiles and Light
Posted by: Gemma Wiseman | 22 January 2008 at 23:43
I like that you have no fear quoting other poets. Jazz musicians have been quoting each other forever, but poets tend to steer clear in fear of what? I don't know. And the quote from Apollinaire is really nice. Also noticed, for the first time, that ad-venture, and venture are the same root - to risk the loss of something.
Posted by: rwells | 22 January 2008 at 23:15
I like that you have no fear quoting other poets. Jazz musicians have been quoting each other forever, but poets tend to steer clear in fear of what? I don't know. And the quote from Apollinaire is really nice. Also noticed, for the first time, that ad-venture, and venture are the same root - to risk the loss of something.
Posted by: rwells | 22 January 2008 at 23:11
Excellently written. I can feel the excitement of the town girl to discover and find treasures
Posted by: marja | 22 January 2008 at 22:49
Lovely poetry and photos. I've been both places and find one infinitely frightening and one infinitely boring. Grin. Well said.
Posted by: Tumblewords | 22 January 2008 at 21:46
Beautiful poem. I love the photo you've chosen to use. Well traveled luggage have great tales to tell of they could only speak.
Posted by: Herb Urban | 22 January 2008 at 20:37
it's true, but sometimes the safe road is...well safe! :D
I wish I had that adventurous spirit you describe!
Posted by: Just Jen | 22 January 2008 at 20:27
How wonderful! Beautifully said.
Posted by: Kimberly Ann | 22 January 2008 at 20:25
Thank you for perfectly describing the past couple of years of my life! ;)
Posted by: The Bold Soul | 22 January 2008 at 19:17
And the world is better for it, Tara. I admire you and the
road(s) you took. How brave you are.
:)
Posted by: Amber | 22 January 2008 at 18:25
I'm so glad you took the beautiful road you did. It is a pleasure to come here and get a glimpse of it.
Posted by: patry | 22 January 2008 at 18:05
connection? serendipity? crossroads? all of the above?
first of all, this poem is lovely and second, i cannot believe how appropriate it is and your blog is to my post of yesterday..."paris perhaps?" i discovered your blog yesterday through one of the cyberspace'rabbit trails'. today your name was in my inbox as i followed the comments at 'mind sieve'.
anyway, just stopping by to say 'hello' and introduce myself.
this poem is very likely the deciding factor for my question of 'paris perhaps?' merci beaucoup!
Posted by: lucy | 22 January 2008 at 17:16
Very nice! The narrow path is always the most interesting.
You write so well Tara!!
On my way home tonight.
To minus ten weather!
(I'm back in a few weeks though...I've been looking for a tshirt for you, email me your fav candidate and I'll see what I can do! I'm picking up a Hillary 2008 one if I see it...)
xo
Gillian
Posted by: Gillian | 22 January 2008 at 16:33
Flying far from edges, choosing those edges is a big challenge in itself..
very well said
Posted by: Rambler | 22 January 2008 at 15:46
I know what it means. If you do not take a chance, how do you learn?
Thanks!
Posted by: gautami tripathy | 22 January 2008 at 14:41
This feels like me -- so when you write something and others say "I see myself" that's a gift!!
I like the bumpy and long and then
pearls of wisdom.
So, so true!!!
Posted by: Cherie | 22 January 2008 at 14:25
Very nice, I would love to be her....but I have a tendency to stick with the known until I get shoved from behind...and fortunately, I have been pushed many-a-times, leading me into a tumble and loving every minute..!! I am forever grateful to those well-wishers!
Posted by: UL | 22 January 2008 at 14:02
A beautiful poem. A friend introduced me to Frost's poem and wrote it out for me many years ago. At the time it didn't make as much sense to me, as reading it today.
xox
Constance
Posted by: rochambeau | 22 January 2008 at 14:02