We've Got To Go
A poem
Welcome back! 2026 is full steam, I guess. But I’m sure glad you’re here.
Sneak peek into something different for this first post of 2026 — perhaps that’s only fitting. I’ve been secretly publishing poems on Substack under my side-publication, Mostly a Poem. This week I’ve decided to make it not-so-secret anymore, and share one with you.
We’ve got to run as far as we can
for as long as we can
until there is no more far to go.
—
Until we have met every mountain
every stream
every babbling brook, with something to say.
—
Until we can name all the plants
and animals
in their own tongues.
The names they had
before we gave them ones.
—
Until we’ve stooped to see the moss
on every stump that lines the forest floor
And we’ve humbled ourselves
all the way into understanding
our view is not the only one.
—
Once we placed our hands
on the sacred altars of the earth
the ones hidden deep within the forests
the ones man DID NOT make.
—
Then, and only then, will we know
what we are here for.
Will we find the solace we’ve been seeking
since the moment we decided
we were better than the Earth.
—
© 2025, Kristen Warms
Pass this poem along!
The best way to support undiscovered writers is to share their work with your friends.
Thanks for being on this journey with me. I’m so glad you’re here!
To find the full catalog of poems —> Mostly a Poem
Loveeeee 👏🦊