Seasons, senses & self: Day 9
Wayfarer, your footprints
form the way – there’s nothing else.
Wayfarer, there is no way.
You make the way by walking.
As you walk the path is formed
and when you cast a glance behind
you see a path that nobody
will ever tread again.
Wayfarer, there is no way,
only the wake on the water.
form the way – there’s nothing else.
Wayfarer, there is no way.
You make the way by walking.
As you walk the path is formed
and when you cast a glance behind
you see a path that nobody
will ever tread again.
Wayfarer, there is no way,
only the wake on the water.
Antonio Machado, translated by Chris Fewings
Seasons, Senses & Self: a daily series
Image source: PickPik.com
Antonio Machado was a Spanish poet who died in 1939. This poem reminds me of Theodore Roethke’s line ‘I learn by going where I have to go’. Here’s the original Spanish:
Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.