The Desert

The desert symbolizes hardship and punishment. The speaker tells the reader that it is unnecessary "to walk on your knees / for a hundred miles in the desert repenting," which resonates with biblical scenes (2-3). In the physical world, the desert is a harsh place where survival is challenging. But the symbolic desert in the poem is presented as optional. The reader does not need to enter this realm of pain in order to be considered worthy.

The Human Body

The human body symbolizes union: it provides the path towards interconnectedness with all beings. The speaker argues that making peace with one's body by allowing it to "love what it loves" is part of how to deal with suffering. By describing the human body as a "soft animal," Oliver points out that humans are not separate from nature. According to the speaker, attempting to transcend the...