Life may be a rat race, but there's a way out of the maze. From the crazy hubbub of daily life and all its demands and noise, it's possible to make an escape, which is just what "Directive" is telling us to do (and how to do it, too). As we travel along the road in the poem, we're on a journey of self-discovery—one that relies on us getting lost. Oh, and there's the Holy Grail at the end of it, too. Bonus.
Questions About Spirituality
- Why is it necessary to lose yourself before finding yourself, according to our speaker? And what do you think he thinks it means to find yourself in the first place?
- Why are we supposedly confused? And how could drinking from the goblet help us move beyond this confusion?
- Is this a religious poem? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
This poem is basically one long, new-agey, persuasive essay meant to convince us that all we need to find inner peace is to figure out our childhoods. Thanks, Freud.
This poem argues that spiritual healing only comes with letting go and getting lost.