Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PIONEER, by JOHN DAVIDSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Why, he never can tell Last Line: The world about. Subject(s): Death; Pioneers; Travel; Dead, The; Journeys; Trips | ||||||||
WHY, he never can tell; But, without a doubt, He knows very well He must trample out Through forest and fell The world about A way for himself, A way for himself. By sun and star, Forlorn and lank, O'er cliff and scar, O'er bog and bank, He hears afar The expresses clank, 'You'll never get there, You'll never get there!' His bones and bread Poor Turlygod From his wallet spread On the grass-green sod, And stared and said With a mow and a nod, 'Whither away, sir, Whither away?' 'I'm going alone, Though Hell forfend, By a way of my own To the bitter end.' He gnawed a bone And snarled, 'My friend, You'll soon get there, You'll soon get there.' But whether or no, The world is round; And he still must go Through depths profound, O'er heights of snow, On virgin ground To find a grave, To find a grave. For he knows very well He must trample out Through Heaven and Hell, With never a doubt, A way of his own The world about. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RICHARD, WHAT'S THAT NOISE? by RICHARD HOWARD LOOKING FOR THE GULF MOTEL by RICHARD BLANCO RIVERS INTO SEAS by LYNDA HULL DESTINATIONS by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE ONE WHO WAS DIFFERENT by RANDALL JARRELL THE CONFESSION OF ST. JIM-RALPH by DENIS JOHNSON SESTINA: TRAVEL NOTES by WELDON KEES TO H. B. (WITH A BOOK OF VERSE) by MAURICE BARING A BALLAD OF HELL by JOHN DAVIDSON |
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