Two roads diverged in a yellow wood;

Being alone, I had to choose.

No one else could, so long I stood

Looking as far as my eyes would,

Knowing either way, I’d lose.

I took the first path that I had found

As it seemed to be the more scenic route

Because the trees bent down to hug the ground

And the path seemed to curve around,

Though I was still filled with doubt

As the other path seemed slightly better

And had no footsteps to paint it black,

But it looked drearier and a little wetter

Like coffee stains smearing a letter,

So I confirmed my decision to not go back.

I should be telling this with a sigh

As both paths ended at the same lake:

Two roads diverged in a wood and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

But what difference did it make?

We took a road trip

Across the state

And spent the day on a beach.

You held my hand

As we walked across the sand

And spread out our towels by the shore.

I took out the sunscreen

And asked you to get my back,

But you laughed and said I needed some color.

I rolled my eyes

And rolled onto my stomach

And sighed and closed my eyes.

We went in the water

And you pushed me under

Because to you, life was one big joke

And so was death.

We're young; we aren't meant to die,

You said.

But I know better,

So I ran back to shore,

And you ran after me.

I wouldn't take your shallow apologies

Because we were in deep water

And you pushed me too far.

We were going to stay for the sunset,

But you ran out of "sorry"s by dinner,

So we ate and drove home in silence.

It is midnight now

And all I am left with

Is a sunburn.

Go ahead and call me greedy

like it's a disease I gave myself,

but how can I be content

with the warmth of the sun

when I know there are galaxies of stars

whose warmth will never reach me?

What a terrible way to think,

That lines must always

be straight

And gravity must always

hold

you

down.

I’m trying so hard

But I’m still not getting far

It’s like I’m going ’cross the country

When I haven’t got a car

I’m eating all the lemons

That life constantly throws

'Cause I don’t have time for lemonade

And that’s just how it goes

You see, I want to travel the world

But I’m staying in one place

Yeah, I’m standing at the starting line

Watching the world race

And I’d love to do it all

Oh, but don’t you recall

That I still haven’t even got a car

Maybe I’m getting nowhere

Because I don’t know where I’m going

So I’m walking back and forth

Hesitant and never knowing

If I’ll ever get somewhere

Or if I’ll spend my whole life pacing

Afraid of dipping my toes in water

'Cause who knows what fish I’m facing

But I swear I’m not fearful,

I’m just not exactly daring

And the more that I keep trying

The less that I start caring

If only I could drive away

Forget it all just for a day

But I still haven’t even got a car

Oh, oh, what can I do

When there’s no way to start new

Or freeze time and wait 'til it’s right

But this time a fish might just bite

Fake it 'til you make it, they say

So I’ll say I’m optimistic

Maybe I don’t need a car

I guess walking’s more simplistic

And the next time life throws lemons

Maybe I’ll have time to make a pie

But whatever I do, I will live

I won’t let life pass me by

I asked the hummingbird,

”Why do you keep singing

Even on rainy days?”

“I have two eggs in the nest

And they’re about to hatch.

The rain may make me cold,

But the eggs keep me warm.”

And the bird sang once again.

I asked the wolf,

“Why do you keep fighting

Knowing you could get hurt?”

“I want to get some food

So I can be strong for tomorrow

When my pack will go on a great journey.

A few scratches won’t bother me.”

And the wolf continued his hunt.

I asked the humpback whale,

“Why do you let barnacles

Attach themselves to your skin?”

“They barely even hurt

And wouldn’t it be great

To say I swam across the ocean

With barnacles on my back?”

And the whale kept swimming along.

I asked a giant sequoia tree,

“Why do you keep growing

Even after all these years?”

“My goal is to touch the moon

And I still have a ways to go.

Besides, growing is great-

With new heights come new views.”

And the tree looked back up at the moon.

The first chirp

of spring

will ring in the ears

of every human

close enough to the magic.

The first chirp

sends all the birds

into song

and the humans sing along,

whistling and sighing,

we made it.