The Road Not Taken

4. Select a creative work – a novel, a film, a poem, a musical piece, a painting or other work of art – that has influenced the way you view the world and the way you view yourself. Discuss the work and its effect on you. (New York University)

 The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is one of the first poems I ever looked at a second time. It was the first poem I read that truly made me think. His view of taking the road less traveled and making your own way instead of following in others’ footsteps has encouraged me, in many ways, to by my own person. The poem influenced me to take risks and seize opportunities that I once would not have even considered. Being an avid reader as well as having a high appreciation for song lyrics, I started writing my own poetry, lyrics and prose soon after reading The Road Not Taken. The poem made me want to be more original and unique. The writing I did made me feel better about myself while fulfilling my desires to create original work. Writing became a way to express myself no matter what mood I was in. What I wrote were amplified versions of how I felt. If I was happy: so was my writing. If I was sad or angry: writing made me feel better. Frost's poetry inspired me to write and my writing helped me express myself better. I often wonder what would have happened if I had never had a chance to read that poem but at the end of it all, I realize that in some way or another I would have come out and discovered my creative side. Fortunately for me, it was earlier rather than later and in the form of a simplistic, yet very deep poem. I hope that someday something I write will affect someone the way Frost influenced me.

I still try to take the less common path just because it seems more intriguing and foreign. "And that has made all the difference." (Frost)