Saturday, May 3, 2008

Now if you listen closely, I'll tell you what I know

Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don’t believe I’m wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

There are some millionaires
With money they can’t use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They’ve got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Now if you listen closely
I’ll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is gonna blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
‘Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone by Maya Angelou

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's a beautiful poem. I'm trying to figure out whether or not I agree. Meaningful relationships are certainly one aspect of a fulfilling life. But possibly being alone is a good thing. One can pursue his own interests as an individual if he becomes aware that he is the person guiding his own path--other people can help, but it's really him creating his life--which can mean being alone sometimes, or even for big chunks of time. This is a good thing to tell myself, at least, when friends aren't around. But actually, I don't usually do too well at times when I don't have a few people I love around to feel close to. My hope is still that a person could make it first and foremost by validating himself and his capacity to create. Hmm.

L

Calvin said...

That's a very introspective comment. I find myself standing the line on this poem as well. I enjoy being alone, very much so, and I've grown to be so used to it over the years. So in that sense, I disagree, because I don't believe we need others to be happy. I could talk about this all day, but -- what I agree with the poem is Angelou's comment about "I can hear the moan" -- everyday I see this, and I'd be dishonest to say I haven't felt this as well.