Before I Leave the Stage Poem Analysis
Alice Walker discusses the power of finding your calling before you leave this stage called life. I reflect and explore what this message means for my creative pursuits and how you can uncover yours in this poem analysis of Before I Leave the Stage by Alice Walker.
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure policy, here.
Before I Leave the Stage
by Alice Walker
Before I leave the stage
I will sing the only song
I was meant truly to sing.
It is the song
of I AM.
Yes: I am Me
&
You.
WE ARE.
I love Us with every drop
of our blood
every atom of our cells
our waving particles
– undaunted flags of our Being –
neither here nor there.
About the author:
Alice Walker was born in Georgia during the 1940s. She became an observer and admirer of human behavior and relationships when she hid from the world as a child after she lost an eye from her brother’s BB gun. Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her fictional story, The Color Purple, which was adapted into a film. She’s a mother, a poet, essayist, novelist, an activist for human rights, and much more.
Before I Leave the Stage poem analysis:
Repetition:
Alice Walker heavily repeats the word I. It's in every line within the first stanza, then it shifts from being about I to about us. It's emphasized because it's linked with the theme of this poem, which is human imprint and connection. It reflects on what I (you) as a soul will bring to the stage of life before it's over. She needs us to feel the gravity of existence and how key each individual is to the world.
Verse:
She writes this piece in asymmetrical meters; you’ll notice her syllables per line vary between 3-7. This is a free-verse poem.
Reflections:
This poem is about pursuing life's opportunities and human connectivity. It’s impactful because it shares how important your imprint is. It makes you to wonder how you will contribute.
I will sing the only song
I was meant truly to sing.
Before I Leave the Stage, Alice Walker
What is your song - the one that only you can sing?
This poem helps us see how intertwined humanity is. By following our calling, we align our being and soul, which shapes our inner world and the people around us. I'm not saying we have to change the world, but our world; the relationships we build, our will, and perseverance influences.
It’s a love poem to existence. What will you do before leaving this stage? The stage is life. The afterlife beckons us into its chamber, but until you get that call - what will you perform?
As a creator, this poem sends chills through me because there is something I am meant to share and give while I am here, and I need to do it. I feel at peace and connected to the Source when I am being and doing.
For me, it’s my words and stories that must be shared because I was saved through them; it’s my duty to return the favor. I have always tried to construct words to share my deepest emotions and express what’s inside my being; that is my song.
This message isn’t only for creative people because we all serve a purpose, whether you’re a doctor, a farmer, a mother, etc. We all have something to offer.
Beyond creating and fulfilling our pursuits as helpers in this world, this poem also echoes another message: be yourself. Walker writes,
“It is the song
of I AM.
Yes: I am Me”
Before I Leave the Stage, Alice Walker
When we surrender and give ourselves, body and soul, we embody the true nature of our humanity: freedom. Amidst all the circumstances people endure, from your government, finances, job(s), or family, we are connected to something greater. It reminds us that this life isn’t the end. That understanding may feel overwhelming and daunting, yet Walker says it’s,
“– undaunted flags of our Being –
neither here nor there.”
Before I Leave the Stage, Alice Walker
Embody I AM and life will follow. There is no other way to find your calling than being connected to yourself. The power you harness on earth will propel you into the next.
Thanks for reading with me!
