In this modern age where many parts of daily life have changed, one that has not are innuendoes and deeper interpretation to literature.  For Mary Oliver’s “The Journey”, in class we discussed several different themes or deeper meanings to what Mary Oliver was trying to say.  While many proposed the idea that she was just trying to give a general, broad definition to finding your own path, an interpretation was brought up where the poem could be about sexuality.  In such it seems like such a crazy proposition, but it works, I questioned myself that if Mary Oliver’s poem does not work for all crazy propositions then it’s probably true.  With this in mind I took the idea step further, what if Mary Oliver’s poem is about sexual interaction?

A rather strange and lewd proposal or claim to make about a poem to inspire others, but if this poem were really to fit with any situation given, then it would have to fit something as crazy as this idea.  So from the beginning Oliver starts off with “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began” (Oliver, 92).  In a different light, she could be saying that one day, you finally knew what you had to do, you finally knew that you had to just go at it with another person’s reproductive organs, so you began the sexual interaction with said person.  The next few lines of the voices shouting bad advice, that is like your mind telling you no or that its wrong for religious reasons or such, but your body says yes.

Those are only a few lines but as it seems the poem checks out with quite a few lines that can be interpreted as sexual innuendos.  However as the poem goes on those few become a rather large number of lines.  One line that also stands out is “and you felt the old tug at your ankles” (Oliver, 92), this can be interpreted as someone tugging at the person’s ankles, begging for them to give them what they want, the other’s reproductive organ.  This could also mean that one of the people in this sexual engagement is becoming aroused as it’s probably not foreign by now and you feel that strange sensation within your legs.  The next line of mending life seems to make it out to be a desperate person begging for the genitalia.

The voices check out with this theory but when it comes to “you didn’t stop” (Oliver, 92), it seems to imply either you were already going to and they were begging to arouse or it implies rape.  However for the sake of my grade let us not say it implies rape and just begging to arouse for whatever sexual fetish the person may have.  The person knows they have to drop their pants or underwear, whatever may be blocking them from that access.  Next mentions “though the wind pried with its stiff fingers” (Oliver, 92) here Oliver is comparing the person on their knees to the wind.  They seem to want the other one above them to take off their pants already hurrying the person along.

The next few lines just show how badly the one upon the ground wants it, how they are all melancholy and terrible.  It is possible that his means that the person could actually be getting cold feet in the situation.  The next line “It was already too late enough” (Oliver, 92) seems to imply that the more submissive one got cold feet in the situation, but it was too late to back out.  The next seems to be about how the night is rather wild, signifying once again sex, possibly even rough sex to that matter.  “The road full of fallen branches and stones.” (Oliver, 92) are like roadblocks.  Road blocks could be a variety of things, for example the tightness, hands, resistance, anything really.

Next seems to come to the climatic point on “little by little, as you left their voices behind” (Oliver, 92) seems to infer that you have begun to ignore the other person’s moans, or pleas for that matter to end the interaction with the climax.  “The stars began to burn” (Oliver, 92) this is that moment when you feel that curling sensation, that burning desire to finally release out that sexual tension that you had from the beginning of this poem! “Through the sheets of clouds” the color of clouds are white just like male semen.  Really the poem seems to have so many different forms of imagery that Oliver is trying to communicate with us.

The rest of the poem talks about a new voice, the voice of success in succeeding within your endeavors.  Like after a person has a new encounter or experience, this would be the first time the person had sex most likely.  Therefore that new voice is the new thought in the mind after experiencing this interaction, a new opinion.  Then the poem goes on to talk about how you will continue to go deeper and deeper, determined to fill that sexual lust in you.

So in truth this poem does apply to practically any situation, it can be an inspiring poem at the same time a very wrong poem if put in the wrong hands.  Oliver truly did shoot for this poem to be for any situation which is rather commendable on her part.  Whether it may be sexuality, hardships, decisions or sexual interaction, this poem just about fits the role for anything that you can think of when it comes to making any type of decision.
