Poetry Friday - Adventure

     Yesterday, I shared a portion of my daughter, Libby's, amazing new poem.  Today, I share it in full:


Adventure
By: Libby Mueller

I set out.

No, I don’t know where the hell I’m going
And I tried the map and ended up
Lost.
Just another pair 
Of smooth soles,
Of unscarred hands
Young and burning
But my heart is yearning
To know what it means 
So I set out.

I left behind a few messes
Some ugly stains I never 
Quite got out
But it’s far behind now.
I can see for miles 
And I am free
I take a breath
Let out a shout and
I set out.

Inhale sharp pine 
Exhale streetlamps
Inhale birdsong
Exhale smoke

I’m quite a long
Way from where I started
But I knew that
When I departed
It would take me to places
I’ve never known.

I wander through cities
And peer down alleys
I traipse up mountains
And slide into valleys
I’m searching for something
To fill me up,

This vacant heart
This restless soul
This empty cup.

See me
Wobbling on 
The horizon tightrope
Hands splayed
As the light fades,

I’m unqualified
And uncoordinated
And utterly unworthy
And still I set out.

I left behind
Expectations
That I thought were
My only choice
Left them lying
With my fear
A familiar voice
That speaks no more.

It’s just me.

And I never knew me
For who I really was
But out here 
Skies and dreams are
Endless and
I can just
Be.

So I set out
Clean and new
To shake off 
Days past and
Demands and
Dreams imposed
Wide-eyed and barefoot
In the morning dew.

When I come to the end,
I don’t expect to find
Victory
Romance
Gold
Status 
Achievement
To boast as I grow old.
No, I only hope to hold
A soul fulfilled, a 
Life well lived, and
I don’t know how but
I want to find out 
So

I set out. 

     As you set out on a new school year adventure or any other JOURNEY, I wish you a "soul fulfilled!"  Head on over to Irene's for the poetry roundup!