Sheep — Summary

Joseph Campbell starts with a plain image: sheep wear a path across a mountain, and people follow it just as thoughtlessly. The speaker asks who has the heart to make a fresh track for himself instead of falling in line. It is not really about sheep—it is about human habit, comfort, and the quiet pull of the herd. The tone is searching, almost challenging, as if the speaker is looking for someone brave enough to live differently. The closing lines twist the usual idea of greatness: strength, wisdom, and pride are not enough. True independence, the poem suggests, comes from something rarer and harder to name. The mood is spare and reflective, leaving the reader to consider which track they are following.