The Journey Summary & Analysis
by Mary Oliver

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Mary Oliver's "The Journey" first appeared in her 1963 collection No Voyage and Other Poems. The poem is about the importance of taking charge of one's own life and leaving behind negative influences. Despite being one of Oliver's more personal poems, and including references to real events in Oliver's life, many readers will identity with its themes of self-reliance and integrity. This has helped to secure its place as one of the most popular poems from one of America's most popular poets.

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