Finding the way back: How poetry and art support transformation

Lost by David Wagoner Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here, And you must treat it as a powerful stranger, Must ask permission to know it and be known. The forest breathes. Listen. It answers, I have made this place around you. If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here. No two trees are the same to Raven. No two branches are the same to Wren. If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you, You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows Where you are. You must let it find you.

In David Wagoner’s poem Lost, the reader is guided into a sacred moment of reconnection with the self and the natural world. The poem’s wisdom lies in its simplicity: when you feel lost, stop, and listen to the place you are. It gently suggests that the key to finding your way is not frantic searching but surrendering to the stillness, trusting that "the forest knows where you are." This idea resonates deeply with how poetry and art can support people through personal transformation.

Poetry, like Wagoner’s Lost, offers a language for what often feels inexpressible—a metaphorical map for navigating change. When life feels overwhelming or uncertain, art reminds us to pause, reflect, and find meaning in our circumstances. It invites us to engage with emotions we may otherwise avoid, helping us reframe our struggles and rediscover strength within.

Similarly, creating or experiencing art is a way of "stopping in the forest." When we paint, write, sculpt, or simply admire beauty, we give ourselves permission to pause and be present. Art provides a mirror to our inner worlds, encouraging self-discovery and opening pathways to healing. For survivors of trauma, for instance, art can be a nonverbal outlet for processing pain and reclaiming identity.

At its heart, art connects us to something greater than ourselves, be it nature, community, or a sense of the divine. Like the trees and streams in Wagoner’s poem, art reminds us that we are never truly lost—there are always resources, whether internal or external, that can guide us forward.

The power of poetry and art lies in their ability to transform not only individuals but also relationships and communities. They teach us to value the journey as much as the destination, to find grace in the moment of being still. As Wagoner suggests, when we trust the process and open ourselves to the guidance around us, we may discover that we are exactly where we need to be.

For those seeking change, whether personal or collective, the lesson is clear: pause, listen, create, and trust. In doing so, we find our way home.