Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Katherine Gallagher

ITINERANT

ITINERANT

ITINERANT

Polishing my square-toed brogues,
I think about journey, that measure
of breaking out of myself
which never leaves me.

I catch each venture like a living thing;
improvised, it cuts free — shoe-inviting,
pressing the day; my heart drums fast, faster.

I tell myself, Your feet have never
failed you
. . . Whatever happens,
the journey’s always there:
sometimes dark, sometimes clear,
the way — on this road you’re wedded
to — a mountain will appear, climbing
suddenly out of a wall of mist.
Close

ITINERANT

Polishing my square-toed brogues,
I think about journey, that measure
of breaking out of myself
which never leaves me.

I catch each venture like a living thing;
improvised, it cuts free — shoe-inviting,
pressing the day; my heart drums fast, faster.

I tell myself, Your feet have never
failed you
. . . Whatever happens,
the journey’s always there:
sometimes dark, sometimes clear,
the way — on this road you’re wedded
to — a mountain will appear, climbing
suddenly out of a wall of mist.

ITINERANT

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère