The Return: A Response to Mary Oliver’s The Journey

Determined to save the only life you thought you should

You walked deeper and deeper into a fantasy world.

A world where you imagined you could live without any old tugs

At you ankles,

A world where whole beings would not tremble,

A world where the wind would not work to destroy

Your foundations

A world where there would be no voices begging and

No bad advice.

Until one day, you finally knew that

You were alone

You knew that there would be no one there for you

When you trembled, no one there for you when

Your troubles were enough to shake

Your loved ones’ foundations.

You knew you can’t save your own life unless

You save others’ too.

Naida Lavon

03-28-11