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.

Everyone have or will experience displacement at some point of their life. Displacement is not a pleasurable experience. Displacement can cause one to feel isolated from others. It prevents individuals from expressing their needs and desires. Various factors can cause one to feel displaced. For example, not meeting societal expectations, facing others criticism, or fear can result in one to feel displaced. In the poem “The Journey” by Mary Oliver, Oliver communicates the idea that one should follow the path that they desire the most. Oliver starts off the poem  stating that, “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advices– through the whole house began to tremble” (Line 1-7). Oliver presents that it is extremely important for individuals to realize what they desire the most. People often are lost between making decisions that are good for themselves or making decisions based on what others tells them to do. Oliver expresses that criticism is inevitable, however, it should not be an excuse from preventing one to accomplishing their goals. This relates back to the displacement because no matter how much displacement have impacted you, you should not let it impact you from accomplishing your goals.