GPS

by Ursula K. Le Guin

I’ve flown as far as tern or heron fly,

clear to the polar waters, and returned.

I’ve run the roads of land and sea and sky

right round the earth’s horizons. So I learned

that there are two directions, out and back,

from the still center of the compass rose.

There are two places: home, away. I lack

a map that shows me anywhere but those.

“GPS” by Ursula K. Le Guin

Used by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.

Copyright © 2012

All Rights reserved.