“When traffic lines jam, it gets out / and dances off the bridge. If great people get distracted by fame they forget / this essential kind of breathing, / and they die inside their gold shell. / When caravans cross deserts / it is the secret treasure hidden under the jewels,” (Stafford 33). In William Stafford’s poem “Poetry” he uses these terms to describe the intrinsic human need for poetry. There is another poem out of Stafford’s collection Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems that is called “A Message from the Wanderer”. The emotion behind the poem and the double meanings in each stanza truly are the epitome of a Stafford poem. It is simplistic in style and language, and it has a powerful message at the end. To fully understand “A Message from the Wanderer” one must pay close attention to the subtle intricacies that may escape the common reader such as the overall deeper meaning, precise word choice, historical events happening during the time of Stafford’s writing.

            Firstly, “A Message from the Wanderer” is comprised of seven stanzas in varying lengths. The poem is a story told from a former prisoner’s point of view. It is, in a way, a speech that he orates to the prisoners that are currently under his watch. “Today outside your prison I stand and rattle my walking stick…” (Stafford 8). He is giving them advice and encouragement about imprisonment. The narrator then goes on to talk about his time spent behind bars. In stanza two he talks about how he would always make up plans to escape, but never follow through with them. Stanza three takes a different approach when the narrator discusses how people’s imaginations run wild about life outside of jail. “Inside I dreamed of constellations-those feeding creatures outlined by stars outlined by stars, their skeletons a darkness between jewels, heroes that exist only where they are not,” (Stafford 8). The line suggests that the narrator was in a position where he couldn’t see the outside world; perhaps he was in solitary confinement. The poem continues its theme of lusting for freedom in the fourth stanza. Stafford wraps up the poem three stanzas later by telling the inmates that everything will turn out eventually. They might keep in touch, and they might not. However, they will always strive to remember what each other has done. “There will be that form of grass” (Stafford 9). The form of grass that Stafford is referring to the legacy that every person has left behind. They must keep telling people about what they’ve done so that their work will not be lost or forgotten.

            The meanings behind this poem is that all of our lives are prisons. When we are younger our parents can make our lives seem like a prison, but we cling onto the security that they provide. We make threats about leaving, but we never mean it. It shows a progression of life stages that every person goes through. The poem could be interpreted as a parent giving advice to their children about their futures. In fact, looking at it from a realm outside of the box, one could say that it is any mentor giving advice to any mentee. Stafford allows for that kind of interpretation. Understanding that kind of open-endedness makes it a poem for many eyes to read.

            “A Message from the Wanderer” is an important poem because it has a message for every generation. During the time that Stafford published this poem,1998, for example, there was a lot being said about race relations in the United States. Back then, the poem was Stafford’s peace protest against racism and support for those who fought for equality. “Tell everyone just to remember / their names, and remind others, later, that we / find each other…And if any of us get lost, / if any of us cannot come all the way - / remember…” (Stafford 9). In today’s world, people can cite the poem as a source for inspiration as movements such as Black Lives Matter and the No DAPL protests are going on. In one of the other peace poems written by Stafford, “Peace Walk”, he discusses what protesting should stand for and the impact that it can make. “Above our heads the sound truck blared - / by the park, under the autumn trees - / it said that love could fill the atmosphere” (Stafford 35). It’s a piece of advice from Stafford to anyone who will listen. He is trying to convey lessons that he has learned over his lifetime to younger generations. Stafford’s peace poetry was his way of lending active support as a self-proclaimed pacifist. In part, he tries to give a voice to minority on social justice issues. He is taking on the role of a mentor for his audience. He tries to impart some of their wisdom and knowledge on to the next generation so that they will have an easier time and, hopefully, make something worthwhile out of themselves. It is a comforting voice in the void telling people that everything will be alright. It even talks about how our memories change each time we reflect back on them. “…you can pass an antelope and not know / and look back, and then -  even before you see – / there is something wrong about the grass. / And then you see,” (Stafford 8). There are many important aspects of life that are covered in Stafford’s poem.

            There are many different interpretations to “A Message from the Wanderer”. One has to pay close attention when reading, or one might miss it. William Stafford is widely known for his subtle and simplistic style of writing. Their seemingly obvious meanings with hidden messages are a motif for Stafford. His emotional “punch lines” always hit hard at the end, just when you think that grasp the concepts of any one of his poems. It is that kind of free verse poetry that makes Stafford a staple in American poetry. It is just like Stafford wrote, “When traffic lines jam, it gets out / and dances off the bridge. If great people / get distracted by fame they forget / this essential kind of breathing, / and they die inside their gold shell. / When caravans cross deserts / it is the secret treasure hidden under the jewels” (Stafford 33). “A Message from the Wanderer” is an important piece of American poetry because it teaches the lesson that everyone will experience hardships in their lives. Everyone will experience some form of these different life stages presented in the poem. Everyone will find something that sparks their passion so much so that they dedicate their lives to that cause. It is important to share that with the younger generations so that they too can know what other people have gone through in their lives and what they have to appreciate.