On a Journey

On A Journey by Hermann Hesse
Don't be downcast, soon the night will come,
When we can see the cool moon laughing in secret
Over the faint countryside,
And we rest, hand in hand.
Don't be downcast, the time will soon come
When we can have rest. Our small crosses will stand
On the bright edge of the road together,
And rain fall, and snow fall,
And the winds come and go.

The poem “On a Journey” by Hermann Hesse is not as much about the journey itself, as it is about the end of the journey. We have all felt  the feeling when a journey is coming to a close, and you just can’t wait for it to end, eager to get to your destination, or when we are in pain and we need to just hold on to the hope that is ending soon.

One thing that Hesse  does to give this poem a unique feel is by making the moon “laughing in secret” the personification (of the moon especially) makes it dark and mysterious.

“When we can see the cool moon laughing in secret”

This strategy sets up the reader’s emotions, and sprinkles on a certain flavor that is interesting and dark. Opening your mind up to the possibilities of the rest of the poem.  

Something very important about this poem is how the speaker is clearly addressing someone, encouraging a loved one to hang in there, the journey will soon end. When he says “hand in hand” it shows that he is very close to whoever he is speaking to, and is possibly romantically involved. It paints a very sweet and comforting picture in your mind, once their journey ends, they will be together.

This journey they are on is clearly tough. When he says “When we can have rest. Our small crosses will stand...” to me it is implying that they will both both die. The use of the word “rest” is alluding to “Rest In Peace” and “Our small crosses will stand” means crosses that mark their graves. This struck a chord for me if he is comforting a loved one by possibly saying that they will both die, then they must be suffering quite a bit. I can only imagine what they must be going through.  

All of these things give the poem has a very sad tone, and a feeling of a peaceful end to a rough journey.  The journey has worn them down, and now the travelers will find peace. Sadly that peace will be found in death.  All journey’s come to end, just not always so tragically.