THE TRAVELER
By Janalee Peterson
LAST NIGHT I DREAMED A DREAM
WHERE I TRAVELED DOWN TWO ROADS
BOTH REQUIRED SACRIFICE
AND BOTH HELD HEAVY LOADS
WITH LOADS STRAPPED TO MY BACK
MY HEART HELD IN MY HANDS
ONE FOOT BEFORE THE OTHER
EACH JOURNEY I BEGAN
THE PATHWAY ON THE RIGHT
REMAINED UNCHANGED EACH DAY
THERE WAS NO FEAR NOR BEAUTY
AS I TRAVELED ON MY WAY
AND IN MY HANDS MY TENDER HEART
DID FIRMLY ALWAYS STAY
THE PATHWAY TO THE LEFT
LOOKED A DAUNTING TASK INDEED
BUT MY HEART WHICH I HELD IN MY HANDS SAID
TO PROCEED IS TO SUCCEED
ALAS MY HEART I HAD TO LAY ASIDE
ALONG THE TRAIL AND LEAVE IT THERE
AS ITS OWN HEAVINESS WITHIN
WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO BEAR
I CONTINUED ON AND UPWARDS
MY HANDS HELD TO THE STRAPS
TO THE BAG WHICH HELD THE BURDENS
THAT I CARRIED ON MY BACK
THAT I CARRIED ON MY BACK
THE PEAKS WERE ALWAYS STUNNING AS I RESTED
EACH TIME MY BURDEN TO UNLOAD
BUT I WISHED MY HEART WAS WITH ME
INSTEAD OF LEFT THERE ON THE ROAD
AS I CONTINUED ON THE PATH
THE DEPTHS FELT LIKE DESPAIR
ALL I COULD DO WAS TRUDGE AHEAD
AND WISH MY HEART WAS THERE
AT LAST THE ROAD HAD ENDED
MY JOURNEY AT AN END
I SAT ALONG THAT DUSTY TRAIL
AND FELT THE EMPTINESS WITHIN
AS I QUIETLY REFLECTED ON THE JOURNEY
WHICH I HAD BEEN
THE BEAUTY THAT I HAD SEEN AND
THE JOYS THAT I HAD KNOWN
AND EVEN OF MY DARKEST THOUGHTS
WHEN I HAD FELT ALONE
THE JOURNEY DOWN THE OTHER PATH
HELD NO BEAUTY NOR DESPAIR
THE ONLY THING IT OFFERED
WAS THAT MY HEART WAS ALWAYS THERE
I HELD MY HEAD UP HIGH
KNOWING WHERE I HAD BEEN
AND THOUGHT PERHAPS THE STRENGTH I’D GAINED
COULD FILL THE EMPTINESS WITHIN
THEN I SAW OFF IN THE DISTANCE
ALONG THE TRAIL ON WHICH I HAD BEEN
COME A SMILING WEARY TRAVELER
WHO CARRIED MY HEART WITH HIM
MA’AM I BELIEVE THAT YOU FORGOT THIS
ALONG THE DUSTY ROAD
I DIDN’T MIND CARRYING IT FOR YOU THOUGH
BECAUSE IT HELPED ME BEAR MY LOAD
