The poem opens with the unusual premise that "the skill of losing isn't difficult to master" (1.1). The speaker implies that certain things are designed to be lost and that losing them isn't a big issue. For example, he says that you can lose your way in a wood if you aren't careful where you step because the wood is so full of signs for travelers to find their way out again. He also mentions that you can lose your way in a crowd of people because everyone will know how to get back on track again. Losing one's way doesn't have to mean getting lost completely; it can also mean making a mistake in judgment. Thus, the speaker concludes, losing isn't such a big issue because even if you do get stuck, you can always find your way back again. Losing something that matters comes up frequently in daily life. If you lose your job, for example, you won't feel very good about yourself. However, you will eventually find another one. When you lose someone you love, it can be hard to move on with your life but you have to try because they are not around to tell you what to do next. In both cases, finding replacement jobs or new friends to help you get through the loss is important. Sometimes we lose things that we want badly but that don't matter that much.