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Comment by andreaferretti | Hacker News Reader

I may be ignorant, but I find weird that this is reported as the most famous poem of the 20th century in America, and possibly the world. In fact, I had never heard about it at all.

Honest question: is it that well-known? I don't think in Italy it is all that common. Or again, it may be just me...

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Yeah, it's very popular in the US. Or at least the "road less traveled by" part. People rarely recite the entire poem, but I've heard phrases from it hundreds of times.

I've heard it so many times that it really just lost all meaning to me, and just felt kind of pithy when I heard it. I'd never heard of this interpretation, which is quite interesting.

It is very commonly taught as an intro to poetry is US schools. I had to memorize it at age 10, for example.

It's well known in America, but I think in the UK something like "If" (Rudyard Kipling) might be better (equally?) known. Or perhaps something from Shakespeare ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?")

What about Italy? What's the most famous poem everyone knows of there?

I guess that apart from the "Divina Commedia", it could be "L'infinito" by Giacomo Leopardi. But "If" is pretty well-known, as well as many things by Shakespeare

Does "If" have a popular misreading? My impression of it is that it's a poem to Kipling's son about coming of age, adulthood etc.r)

I also didn't know it (I'm French). There is probably a big divide between the English-speaking world (knowing this poem) and the non-English-speaker world not aware of it.

I guess I must have passed by it many times in movies or series for instance without knowing it at all.

It often gets referenced. You probably just never noticed. Ever watch Dead Poets Society? The common message is used in one of the scenes:

http://youtu.be/68SLg5ofQMI

About 1:30 in case you miss it.

Once you know the poem you'll start seeing it in a lot of places. If you don't know the poem than it really isn't a surprise that you have not recognized it anywhere.

Yeah, I never noticed this particular reference, not knowing the poem itself

It's incredibly well known in my experience. You see it in posters in elementary schools, for example. At least the phrase is all over the place, I'm sure there are plenty who don't know or remember what it's from.

Hugely popular, in particular at commencement ceremonies. Where the supposed interpretation is to "forge your own path" or some such bullshit, since that is _clearly_ not the message in any interpretation...

Not only is it incredibly well known, but the first half of the article is about why it's well-known and how well-known it is.

It is very common in India.

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