Summary

The speaker describes the sort of people who come to a crossroads: witches, lung people in love, businessmen and soldiers. They mention that scholars may nap nearby, and even the devil may appear to bargain. The speaker considers where all these people were going and what happened to them; they reflect on how much one can learn by putting down roots, but that their story will never change.

Analysis

“At the Crossroads” begins with an introduction, establishing the poem’s core premise: “Here are the crossroads” (Line 1). It creates the sense that the reader has just wandered into the scene, being led by a supportive hand. The first images presented play with juxtaposition: the “old women” and “young lovers” (Lines 1,3); the women are presumably alone and nearing the end of their lives, while the lovers are together at the precipice of adulthood. This contrast...