The poem
. . . And then I came to Three ways, And each was mine to choose; For all of them were free ways, To take or to refuse. "Now which shall be the best way, East, West or South?" said I . . . So then I went the West way - I often wonder why.
. . . And then I cam to Two ways, And each was luring me: For both of them were new ways, And I was fancy free. "Now which shall be the least way," Said I: "to gain my goal?" And so I took the East way, With freedom in my soul.
. . . And then I came to One way, And to the South it ran; Then lo! I saw this sun way Was mine since time began; My pitiless, my doom way; No other could there be, For at its end my tomb lay, And it was waiting me. . . . Poor fools! Who think you're free.
The West way reminds me of youth and liberality. The East way signals maturity and a concern for the spiritual side of life. The One way is Jesus Christ, who calls us to take up our cross and follow Him on the journey to "death to self", the South way. Yet the sun shines there and His grace is sufficient.