This evocative painting on paper captures the poignant feeling of searching for someone or something, a theme that resonates deeply with human experiences of loss and longing. While contemplating a title that would reflect this sentiment, I found inspiration in the works of W. H. Auden, a poet I previously knew only for his hauntingly beautiful “Funeral Blues” (famously performed in Four Weddings and a Funeral).
 
My search for the perfect title ended when I discovered Auden’s “O Where Are You Going?”—a poem as thought-provoking today as when it was published in 1931. Its timeless relevance mirrors the themes of my painting, making it a natural choice. Described by allpoetry.com as “a cautionary tale about the dangers of venturing into unfamiliar territory. The reader, rider, farer, and hearer represent aspects of the human psyche, each grappling with their own fears and anxieties. The poem's vivid imagery and foreboding tone create a sense of unease and uncertainty. [...] The poem's abrupt ending leaves a lasting impression, suggesting that there is no easy resolution to the challenges life presents. It reflects the disillusionment and uncertainty of the time period, reflecting the anxieties of a world on the brink of war."
 
 
O Where Are You Going?
    "O where are you going?" said reader to rider,
    "That valley is fatal where furnaces burn,
    Yonder's the midden whose odours will madden,
    That gap is the grave where the tall return."

    "O do you imagine," said fearer to farer,
    "That dusk will delay on your path to the pass,
    Your diligent looking discover the lacking,
    Your footsteps feel from granite to grass?"

    "O what was that bird," said horror to hearer,
    "Did you see that shape in the twisted trees?
    Behind you swiftly the figure comes softly,
    The spot on your skin is a shocking disease."

    "Out of this house"---said rider to reader,
    "Yours never will"---said farer to fearer
    "They're looking for you"---said hearer to horror,
    As he left them there, as he left them there.