Two Same Roads

Inspired by one of the most famous poems in all of literature — “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost — Vashistha’s “Two Same Roads” captures a nuance of the original that is frequently misunderstood.

Neither Frost nor Vashistha advocate contrarianism, or individualism for its own sake: rather, they tell us that it is our individual choices and actions, not our group identity, which ultimately define who we are. Green Golem sees Vashistha’s poem as a warning against polarization, and a tribute to all people who are unabashedly themselves. 

Two roads diverged in the yellow wood,

and I refuse to walk on any.

Said to be the paths of evil and good

but both have doomed plenty.

To hoist their flags of victoryhood,

they sold their souls for a penny.

Walking was never a should,

but it was too late to run, or to crawl, already.

I’d stop the war if I could,

but do we like peace and steady?

Ones against it, who stood,

remain now slaughtered on heaps heavy.

Triumphant, heads beneath foot,

the cries of the innocent sink deafly.

When the winners smudge soot in their eyes,

they can’t meet the gaze of the losers many.

No two roads diverge in the yellow wood, 

it’s the same one: same as any.

Can’t choose; won’t choose; I’ll walk them all,

two or one or twenty.