Poetry Analysis

Back to poet Translate into other languages

The Journey

Original Poetry

Translation

One day you finally knew

One day you finally realized what you needed to do, and started,

what you had to do, and began,

even though the people around you kept shouting their bad advice -

though the voices around you

even though the whole house started to shake

kept shouting

and you felt the old pull at your ankles.

their bad advice—

"Fix my life!"

though the whole house

each voice cried.

began to tremble

But you didn't stop.

and you felt the old tug

You knew what you had to do, even though the wind tried to stop you

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.

Explanation

Mary Oliver's 'The Journey' is a powerful poem about self-discovery and personal transformation. It describes a moment of clarity when the speaker realizes what they must do to move forward in life. Despite the negative influences and pressures from others, symbolized by the 'voices' and the trembling house, the speaker remains resolute. The 'old tug at your ankles' represents past habits or fears trying to hold them back. The repeated cries of 'Mend my life!' from the voices indicate external demands and expectations. However, the speaker's determination to follow their own path is unwavering, even as the 'wind pried,' symbolizing external challenges or resistance. The poem captures the essence of inner strength and the courage to pursue one's true calling, despite obstacles.

Word Dictionary6

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
tremble	shake	to shake slightly because of fear or cold	trem-buhl
ankles	joints between foot and leg	the part of the body where the foot and leg meet	ang-kuhlz
pried	pulled apart	to pull something apart with force	prahyd
mend	fix	to repair something that is broken or damaged	mend
cried	shouted	to call out loudly	krahyd
voices	sounds from people	sounds people make when they speak	voi-siz

Poet & Context

PoetMary Oliver

Era20th-21st Century

Mary Jane Oliver (1935–2019) was an American poet known for her work inspired by nature. She won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and her poetry is characterized by vivid imagery and a deep connection to the natural world.

View on Wikipedia

WhenPublished in 1963

WhyMary Oliver's poetry often explores themes of self-discovery and personal growth. 'The Journey' reflects the struggle of finding one's own path amidst external pressures and expectations.

FormFree Verse

Themes & More

Themes

Self-discoveryPersonal growthCourageIndependence

Literary devices

Metaphor: The 'voices' represent external pressures and expectations.Imagery: Vivid descriptions like 'the whole house began to tremble' create a strong visual impact.Personification: The wind is described as 'pried,' giving it human-like qualities.Repetition: The phrase 'you knew what you had to do' emphasizes the speaker's determination.