The Journey is a complex poem from a glance. It doesn’t explicitly say anything that would allow the reader to know that this or that happened. It has a dark tone, and gives off a feeling of something heavy though. I suppose that what happens in the poem is up to the reader, as I’ve heard at least 3 or 4 different “definitions” of what the poem is about. Maybe the poem’s meaning is different based on the person and what they’ve experienced in life. I personally interpreted the poem as someone who has decided to commit suicide but is having second thoughts. 

In the poem, the tone feels decisive at first with the first few lines, she hints to something imperative to the subject, and she says it in manner that’s not very clear at first, in these lines she says: “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began,  though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice” (Oliver 5).  Within those first few words of “You finally knew what you had to do, and began” the reader can see there’s something impending approaching of the subjects possible depression. One of the more common effects of depression is having suicidal thoughts, this line is expressing that they have made up their mind and begun something, and that at this point there is no turning back. The next lines “Though the voices kept shouting their bad advice” also can relate well to the interpretation. Depression as a mental illness is difficult for those who do not or have not suffered from it to understand. A result of this may be an inability to empathize with those suffering and may brush it off and tell them to get over it, or that it’s just sadness. While they may think that it’s just something one can “get over” it is horrible advice and should never be told to someone suffering from depression. It’s akin to calling that person a pest, and that their depression is bothering other people. It’s something that stands out too, like a negative comment that sticks with someone all day. It feels almost like shouting, which the subject may be experiencing. 

The next couple of lines are where the interpretation starts to become clearer in which she says:  “Though the whole house  began to tremble  and you felt the old tug at your ankles. ‘Mend my life!’  each voice cried” (Oliver 11). To interpret “the whole house began to tremble,” the trembling could be close ones to him/her that are trying to convince him/her not to go through with the suicide, a metaphorical earthquake of voices attempting to shake the subject’s resolve. With the idea of someone who has had second thoughts, the tremor could be him/her feeling nervous, not ready to end their life just yet, they hesitate. With “you felt the old tug at your ankles” I believe that for the interpretation the subject is being reminded of the weight and struggle that suffering from depression comes with, and that knowledge is strengthening the conviction to commit suicide. “’Mend my life!’ each voice cried” is perhaps the internal voices of the subject, wanting to be cured of this horrible mental illness, and is in the case of the suicide, a push towards, as the subject may wish to rid themself of these thoughts. Perhaps though, it could be seen as a guiding light, a glimmer of hope that the subject has a chance to fix him/herself. 

This middle section of the poem is where the interpretations start to reintegrate by saying:   “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.” (Oliver 18).  It introduces with “But you didn’t stop. You know what you had to do” which strengthens that there were second thoughts about committing to the suicide, but they changed nothing, that the subject is determined to this end. This feels as if this also shows the most relatable part of the poem, What people never think about is prior indecisiveness, but truly anyone can relate to having second thoughts about something, be it a missed opportunity or buying a new car, It’s something we as humans can attach ourselves to, which allows the reader to understand more of the poem’s decisive feel. These next few lines give an idea that there may have been outside forces to try to stop the subject “Though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible.” I would go to say the wind is the outside force, be it a support group, or a therapist, who attempt to find the source, the very roots of the depression. This is another really relatable element of human nature, we as humans are curious, and try to find out why or what is happening to ourselves. Perhaps the wind isn’t an outside force after all; maybe it’s the subject trying to just figure out why their melancholy is indeed so terrible, and is soul searching to their very roots to find out. 

The latter half of the poem is the climax; it builds up to what is possibly the subjects end or their new beginning by saying:  “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” (Oliver 32). I interpret this as the epiphany moment for the subject, they’ve figured out that it’s either time to commit, or have found a will to live longer still. With the lines “It was already late enough and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones,” 

I see this as the subject coming to terms, as if they’ve had these thoughts for far too long, and every moment leading up to then has been an obstacle they’ve had to overcome, and with the lines of “But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds” the subject has let go of everything that they had an attachment to, or is ignoring the resistance of those close to him. This is the epiphany moment, the subject has realized what must be done, and can see the stars beyond the murky view of cloudy skies. They can see the answer. “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” that voice is their conscience, having guided them thus far, perhaps leading them to what they should do.  Finally, the last lines of the poem, “Determined to do the only thing you could do – determined to save the only life you could save.” (Oliver 36.)  This is the subject backing off, and saving the only life that they could, their own. They’ve found a will to live, and wish to seek the cure to the depression. 

I believe this poem’s discussion of depression is a wonderful read as it allows the reader into the mind of someone suffering from something that is difficult to grasp, because of this I believe that with all the language and sensory words, it creates a more vivid landscape of the mind as it suffers from mental illness. 
