  The Journey is the most inspiring poem I’ve ever read in my life. There is no doubt that Mary Oliver is trying to encourage people to save the only life they could save. However, from my perspective, one implicit thing that the writer says in the poem is to follow your heart and dare to be yourself. 

  Follow your heart and get rid of the voices around you. The reason for this are as follow. In the poem, the writer uses the sentence like “the voice around you keep shouting”, this shouting voices actually are the different opinion from others which makes you confused. Because there are so many people in this world, your family and your friend they talk to you and try to give you some advice or suggestion. The other voice may from the media and your boss. Your boss may be mean to you and deny your ability. The media they just fool the public and create the fear, they will make you feel bad as well. All this voice is from the environment you live, it’s others’ voice, not yours. 

As it known to all, different people will hold different opinion so that you will be confused and sick in that “shouting voice”. “The house began to tremble” means you cannot bear these “shouting voice” any more. You have to make the change. The word “old tug” stands for the old saying and the old rules you may obey before, they already made an influence on you. Thus, it is very difficult for you to get rid of it. As it known to all, it will take a long time and a long process for the brand new things to defeat the old-school things. The change will never be easy to make for yourself. “tug at your ankles” means it is hard to explore yourself and find your opinion from your heart. The author uses the phase like “mend my life” and “each voice cried” to intimate that the different voice from other people they still try to influence you and keep control your life just like before. “But you didn’t stop. You knew what you had to do” means you already choose to follow your heart and listen to the voice from the deep inside of your mind.

  You will suffer the pain though the process.  “Wind” and “stiff fingers” stand for the problem you will get in though the way to terminal. You have to work hard and push through. “At the very foundations., though their melancholy was terrible” means at the beginning of your change, you will feel uncomfortable because you get used to live that way. You obey the old rules and suffer from others voice. The word “branches” and “stone” stand for the constant challenge you will meet. Roma wasn’t built in a day. 

Follow your heart and make the change will not be easy at all. You will trapped be “stones.” You will be hurt be some sharp “branches.” “Wild night” means the problems you have to solve.

  Dare to be yourself and your heart will lead you the right way. “Little by little” means the whole process is long and bored. “Left their voices behind” stand for you finally get rid of other people’s voice and will never be controlled by others any more. The writer uses “the stars began to burn” to indicate that brighter future is so close, you can almost reach the height of success. The word “new voice” stand for your own voice from the deep of your heart. You follow your heart and it takes you to the right way. 

Finally, you achieve your goals. “which you slowly recognized as your own” can prove my inference. The author uses phase “only life you could save” to hint us we should dare to be yourself. She used the word “only” to teach us we are unique and there is no way to live again. 

  Be brave to be your yourself. We shouldn’t live with the result of others’ thinking. Follow your heart and intuition. Try to make your every choice on your own and dare to be yourself. You need get rid of other voices which are not your inner voices. From my perspective, that’s the most essential thing that Mary Oliver wants to hint.
