Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Wherever We Travel" explores the paradox of journeying to new places that, despite their geographical difference, evoke a sense of familiarity and sameness. The poem reflects on the idea that the essence of home and the familiar can be found wherever we go, suggesting that our experiences of the world are shaped as much by our perceptions as by the actual physical environments we encounter.

The poem begins with an observation about the nature of travel: "Wherever we travel / it seems to take the same / few hours to get there." This opening sets a tone of inevitability and routine, implying that no matter where we go, the experience of travel itself remains consistent. The mention of "the same / few hours" suggests a sense of uniformity, as if the process of moving from one place to another is governed by a predictable passage of time, making each journey feel similar.

As the plane "rises over clouds / into an unmarked sky," the poem evokes the sensation of being suspended in a space that is neither here nor there—a liminal zone where the sky is "unmarked," lacking distinguishing features. This could symbolize the way travel can sometimes blur the distinctions between destinations, making them feel interchangeable. The plane "comes down through clouds / to what we have to believe / is a different place," yet the speaker introduces a note of skepticism: although we are told we have arrived somewhere new, the familiar elements that greet us challenge that belief.

The poem continues by describing the landscape upon arrival: "But here / are the same green road signs / the numbered highways / of home." These lines suggest that despite the expectation of novelty, what the speaker encounters is strikingly similar to what they have left behind. The "same green road signs" and "numbered highways" evoke a sense of déjà vu, as if the places we visit are reflections of home rather than distinctly new environments. The repetition of "same" emphasizes this sense of familiarity.

The speaker then observes "cars going / back and forth to houses / with chimneys and windows / identical to the ones we thought / we had left behind." This imagery reinforces the idea that the trappings of domestic life—the houses, chimneys, and windows—are so universal that they create a sense of continuity across different places. The word "identical" underscores the feeling that, despite the change in location, the essential features of the landscape remain the same, blurring the lines between here and there, home and away.

As the poem moves toward its conclusion, the speaker notes that "The radio blares familiar / radio music," further reinforcing the theme of familiarity in new places. The radio, a constant companion in many homes, serves as a metaphor for the pervasive presence of the familiar, even in unfamiliar settings. The poem culminates with the lines, "Soon we will knock / on a door and someone will greet us, / will pull us into a room / we have never seen / but already know by heart." These lines suggest that human connections and the sense of belonging transcend physical locations. Even in a new room, there is an immediate recognition and comfort, as if the space has been internalized and is already a part of the speaker's experience.

"Wherever We Travel" is a meditation on the interconnectedness of places and the enduring presence of the familiar in our lives, no matter where we go. Pastan's poem suggests that our experiences are shaped by a blend of external reality and internal perception, leading us to find echoes of home in every new place we visit. The poem ultimately reflects on the idea that, despite our attempts to seek out new experiences, the essence of what we know and love follows us, making the world both vast and intimately familiar at the same time.

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