[stylist] advice on using a poem quote

[Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter]

Julie,

The great thing about poetry is that it's kind of up to the eye of the beholder. While most poets have intentions with what their poems mean, at the end of the day, once a writer puts their work out there, it's up to the masses to interpret it.

A poem has to be taken for its whole though. Famous poems like this often have a line or two overly quoted through the decades and centuries, and very few actually look at the poem in its entirety. Like a painting, a poem must be read as a whole and not taken only for its parts.

Having said that, I would agree, though, with your interpretation of the poem. And a lot of scholars and book critics and publishers can be snooty and confine interpretations to what they dictate. And everyone misinterprets at times, so I do not think anyone, beyond the author themselves, get to have the only interpretation of writing.

So go ahead and use it, smile.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J. via stylist
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 3:04 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Cc: Julie J.
Subject: [stylist] advice on using a poem quote

To all you lovely poetry peeps, I could use some advice!

I am working on my son’s graduation reception.  We homeschool so I get to customize the whole event.   He does not want a formal ceremony, but I am still presenting him with a formal diploma.  The company I am using has space for a school motto, quote or Bible verse or something similar.  Our homeschool name has been, “Pathways Academy” and I am thinking of putting the quote: 

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”. by Robert Frost



I am not a poetry person.  I want to know if this would be an appropriate quote for this situation.  Or does this quote mean something different than what I think it means?  To me it means to not be afraid to go your own way, to be true to yourself even if it isn’t mainstream, to be courageous in your decisions and to move forward with your life in the knowledge that taking the nonconventional approach can be rewarding.



But Google tells me that the poem this quote is from is often misunderstood and given more weight and seriousness than is intended.



Advice?  Wisdom? other quote suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Julie
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