Poem: I am alone in the desert – Sayah (2)

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents his last poem before monasticism, titled “The Wanderer.” It expresses his deep longing for a life of solitude and detachment from the world, wishing to live as a free stranger, bound by no walls or earthly limits.

🌿 Meaning of the Spiritual Wanderer:
The Pope explains that a “wanderer” is one who leaves the world behind and walks through the wilderness seeking only God, moving without earthly stability, for his true homeland is heaven. He seeks no monastery or wall, for his mind finds no rest within physical bounds.

🕯 Symbolism of the Poem:
In saying, “Alone in the wilderness, I care not for others,” he expresses total detachment from worldly concerns, leaving behind all that distracts him from God. His “burrow in the hills” symbolizes inner solitude — a place of stillness and communion with God.

🌄 Freedom and Flight:
He compares himself to a bird wandering in the air, unconcerned with a nest or resting place, living in complete spiritual freedom, free in his love and pursuit of God. This image reflects the deep liberty that true solitude offers.

💫 Holy Estrangement:
The poem radiates a spirit of holy estrangement, declaring that man finds no true joy on earth but in his journey toward God. This estrangement is not escape, but a search for eternity and union with the Divine Beloved.

📖 Spiritual Message:
The poem invites us to reflect on the meaning of a true wanderer — one who dwells not in a place, but in God’s presence within the heart. It is a call to detachment and freedom from worldly ties, to live in deep peace with God alone.