NP Day, part II

In recognition of today's poetry theme, I thought I'd share one of my favourite poems. My choice, Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken, is quite a well known poem, and is definitely one of the best. It's also one of the first poems that I ever really took to, and has gone on to inspire and influence my whole approach to poetry and writing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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 stared 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,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no foot had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the forst for another day!

But knowing as 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.

- Robert Frost

National Poetry Day

Today is National Poetry Day!

Every year, NP Day is aimed at bringing poetry to the attention of the public, and at encouraging others to read - and write their own - poems. Each year there is a different theme, and this year's theme is: 'Home'. To read some poems on this theme, or to find out more about NP Day, you can visit the official website here.

BBC Radio 2 are also running a special 'National Poetry Week' this week in celebration of today. Listeners are invited to send in favourite poems and poems that they have written themselves - find out more on the Jeremy Vine page.

And, The Poetry Society are running a 'National Poetry Competition' for poems of 40 lines or under (excluding title). There is a £6 entry fee, an open theme, and the deadline is October 31st. Good luck!