In each stanza, Whyte invites the reader to consider the questions that can make or unmake a life.
That poem changed my life as I thought about what questions will guide my life and my travel decisions.
During that trip, our days were spent rising with the sun and resting with the stars.
A male lion pauses on the grounds of Segera Retreat, in Kenya.Credit:Courtesy of Segera Retreat
On another, I basked in the graceful movements of elephants that sauntered past our lodge.
The world stood still.
I felt fully present in my body and in each exquisite moment.
Poet David Whyte speaks with safari-goers in Kenya.Deborah Calmeyer
The big questions Whyte talks about the ones that make or unmake a life seemed easier to answer.
That time spent amid Kenya’s grasslands returned me to my senses, returned me to myself.
Months later, Im still digesting the profound shift that occurred in me during that trip.
Giraffes outside Segera Retreat.Courtesy of Segera Retreat
The uninterrupted time in Kenya’s wild grasslands furthered my personal journey of life and spiritual evolution.
I am forever changed by that fateful week.
Poetry is a conduit that opens our minds and hearts to the ancient wisdom of the wild.
Return to the Wild With David Whytewill take place June 12-17, 2024, at Segera Retreat in Kenya.
Deborah Calmeyeris a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List and specializes in custom east and southern Africa trips.
you’re free to create a tailor-made itinerary with Calmeyer by contacting her at welcome@roarafrica.com.
