LOST
by David Waggoner
Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must not treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made the place around you.
If you leave it you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.
Thanks to Laurel Wilkinson for sharing this.
Nice post, beautiful words.
Thanks! I’m glad you’re here.
The text you have provided is not accurate! Misquoting poetry and posting it on the internet should be a crime. The original poem by David Wagoner can be found in Traveling Light: Collected and New Poems by David Wagoner (copywrite 1999).
I am just now finding your response (anonymous) .. and I apologize if this is incorrect. I try NOT to perpetuate incorrect information, and I am so sorry that it would be someone’s poetry.
Perhaps you could have told me what was misquoted, since I (obviously!) do not have the book.
The only mistake I could see is in line three. It should read
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger.
You put you must not treat it as a powerful stranger.
Changes the whole meaning of the line, but an honest mistake.