Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken

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;        5 


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,        10 


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.        15


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.        20 

Sidney Lanier: The Dying Words of Jackson

"Order A. P. Hill to prepare for battle." "Tell Major Hawks to advance the Commissary train." "Let us cross the river and rest in the shade." The stars of Night contain the glittering Day And rain his glory down with sweeter grace Upon the dark World's grand, enchanted face -- All loth to turn away. And so the Day, about to yield his breath, Utters the stars unto the listening Night, To stand for burning fare-thee-wells of light Said on the verge of death. O hero-life that lit us like the sun! O hero-words that glittered like the stars And stood and shone above the gloomy wars When the hero-life was done! The phantoms of a battle came to dwell I' the fitful vision of his dying eyes -- Yet even in battle-dreams, he sends supplies To those he loved so well. His army stands in battle-line arrayed: His couriers fly: all's done: now God decide! -- And not till then saw he the Other Side Or would accept the shade. Thou Land whose sun is gone, thy stars remain! Still shine the words that miniature his deeds. O thrice-beloved, where'er thy great heart bleeds, Solace hast thou for pain! I love the line of this poem that shows Jackson's belief that God knew the time that he would die, so he "lived his life to the fullest." He was not afraid of risks because he knew that he was in the hands of God.