Tribute to Chris.

[PJ MaCormaic]

Into the Wild
I felt I knew you,
Though we never met.
I shared your dreams
But not your fate.

I shared your passion,
For the open road.
For the call of nature
And the great unknown.

I understood your actions
Your reasons why,
To choose a path
Even if it meant you die.

May the wind be behind you
As you journey on
As it whistles to you eternally
The Wild traveler's song.
-tribute to Chris MacCandless
Tipperary 7/2010

[rmalboeuf]

PJ,
This is a very poignant tribute to Chris. I just completed reading the book with my Grade 12 English class and we are still unsure HOW to respond. There seem to be so many questions raised by this young man's seemingly cryptic behaviour. How could he be so consumed with the life on the road? Was his relationship with his parents so terribly bad that an intelligent and sensitive man could not repair it? When he decided to return home, what were his intentions? Such a tragic conclusion to this free spirit's episodic journey. Personally, I'm still unsure what to believe. At times, while reading it, I caught myself admiring his lust for life. At other times, however, I found him to be overly stubborn and ignorant: self-absorbed and selfish. I think that the message, if anything, is to "follow your heart" and to never allow anyone or anything to stand in its way. I think I, like you, "share his dreams" and "share his passion", but cannot "understand [his] actions" like you.
A lovely little verse.
Thanks for sharing.