Poetry

Mr. Sophanne's daughter has a blog and a plan. For the last year and a half she and a compatriot have been trying something "new" for a month and blogging about it. It's been inspirational and I often find myself "playing along" in some small way. I believe that we have a garden now in no small part thanks to the inspiration from reading her blog and watching her go through the various months.

This month's "challenge" is to memorize a poem and recite it in public. She has been blogging about poetry, stage fright and other related thoughts. This morning when I went looking on my shelves for a little something to read I found a copy of "Ten Poems to Change Your Life" and was prompted to have a look.

The very first poem was like a gift to my good friend who is going through some not so good times. Her life is changing for the better but every now and then it doesn't feel that way. I am posting this poem in her honor today.

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 that you could save