The Journey by Mary Oliver
One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice ...
though the whole house began to tremble
and you felt the old tug at your ankles.
'Mend my life!' each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers at the very foundations ...
though their melancholy was terrible.
It was already late enough,
and a wild night, and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little, as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own,
that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world,
determined to do the only thing you could do ...
determined to save the only life you could save.
Note: On right side (RS), slip the stitches behind your work. On the wrong side (WS), slip the stitches in front of your work.
Directions:
Multiples of 6 plus 2 edge stitches.
With Color A, cast on to desired width, then knit one row.
Row 1 (RS): With Color B, k1, sl1, *k4, sl2; rep from *, end k4, sl1, k1.
Row 2: With Color B, p1, sl1, *p4, sl2; rep from *, end p4, sl1, p1.
Row 3: With Color A, rep Row 1.
Row 4: With Color A, p1, sl1, *k4, sl2; rep from *, end k4, sl1, p1.
Row 5: With Color B, k3, *sl2, k4; rep from *, end sl2, k3.
Row 6: With color B, p3, *sl2, p4; rep from *, end sl2, p3.
Row 7: With Color A, rep Row 5.
Row 8: With Color A, p1, k2, *sl2, k4; rep from *, end sl2, k2, p1.
Work to desired length. Cast off. Finish as per guidelines.
Hint for best results in finishing is to leave ends long and weave the ends through the work using a tapestry needle.