The Traveler

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

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