The Journey
by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice - - -
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
'Mend my life!'
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations - - -
though their melancholy
was terrible.It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.

But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice,
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do - - - determined to save
the only life you could save.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I followed you here from Jen Lemen's blog.

I quite like the way you think and how you use words.

Your dog is pretty precious too.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for visiting. I'm new to the blogging world and appreciate the feedback!

Anonymous said...

I love Mary Oliver. Somehow, she always comes around just when you need her wisdom and words the most.

Anonymous said...

I have this poem in my studio.