Monday, December 14, 2009

The Journey



 The Journey

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.

~ Mary Oliver ~

6 comments:

Jacki said...

Yes! That is indeed a great and inspiring one. Great pic to go with it. I recognize those feet! : )

aimee said...

this is brilliant. i love mary oliver's poems.

Delphyne said...

Thanks, Jacki and Aimee - I really do love the way Mary Oliver writes.

Laura said...

oh how I love mary oliver! Your photo is perfectly paired with her words.

Delphyne said...

Nice to meet you, Laura. I just stopped by your places - very nice works and thoughts!

Shelly said...

Wow. Powerful poetry.