The Road
you are cruising down the middle of a road
it's common knowledge that from the onset,
it has always been a one-way road
and once on it, there is no going back
milestones along the way portend that
no one has long driven this road
and unless to merge with the prevailing lane,
your lot would be better had you never
started down this road
wayworn villages tell of a trickster
just when you thought you had taken the wheel,
you're driven to distraction
the road beckons a promising direction
but it appears unlikely you'll go unturned
this is because it revolves around a precipitous fall
of a torrent diverted there pursuant to its course
this descent impacts with a deafening din
and shakes the earth to and fro
it kicks up a shrouding fog
in the midst of its voluminous rage
so dense all you can smell
is its diffusion thick in the air
You scarcely see beyond your reach
let alone see anything beyond faith
that those who keep this road
will see it take you where you'll want to go
while idling by, you see a man
emerge from the fog before you
he shouts to you as he walks past
"you better get out from the middle of the road
because a juggernaut is barreling down
and you will be crushed under it!"
you wave him off and dismiss him
smug in all that common knowledge
has ever told you
the man,
stumbling along the side of the road
as he walks,
fades away behind you
you cannot see through the fog
you cannot hear beyond the noise
you cannot even contrast any
movement on this road
and your smell has been saturated
all you can derive from your senses
and all you've ever read, been told
and experienced of this road
presumes that either this lone man knows nothing
of what he speaks
or is attempting to make you
like the fool
what would the villagers say?
besides, it's much more difficult to walk the narrow
side of the way with all its obstacles
than to roll with the wide, smooth expanse
of the middle
you will decide what you do
you will not decide what happens
it's common knowledge that from the onset,
it has always been a one-way road
and once on it, there is no going back
milestones along the way portend that
no one has long driven this road
and unless to merge with the prevailing lane,
your lot would be better had you never
started down this road
wayworn villages tell of a trickster
just when you thought you had taken the wheel,
you're driven to distraction
the road beckons a promising direction
but it appears unlikely you'll go unturned
this is because it revolves around a precipitous fall
of a torrent diverted there pursuant to its course
this descent impacts with a deafening din
and shakes the earth to and fro
it kicks up a shrouding fog
in the midst of its voluminous rage
so dense all you can smell
is its diffusion thick in the air
You scarcely see beyond your reach
let alone see anything beyond faith
that those who keep this road
will see it take you where you'll want to go
while idling by, you see a man
emerge from the fog before you
he shouts to you as he walks past
"you better get out from the middle of the road
because a juggernaut is barreling down
and you will be crushed under it!"
you wave him off and dismiss him
smug in all that common knowledge
has ever told you
the man,
stumbling along the side of the road
as he walks,
fades away behind you
you cannot see through the fog
you cannot hear beyond the noise
you cannot even contrast any
movement on this road
and your smell has been saturated
all you can derive from your senses
and all you've ever read, been told
and experienced of this road
presumes that either this lone man knows nothing
of what he speaks
or is attempting to make you
like the fool
what would the villagers say?
besides, it's much more difficult to walk the narrow
side of the way with all its obstacles
than to roll with the wide, smooth expanse
of the middle
you will decide what you do
you will not decide what happens
Written by Scott Schoffstall
© October 15, 2011
all rights reserved
http://www.poeticsojourn.com/the-sojourner.html
© October 15, 2011
all rights reserved
http://www.poeticsojourn.com/the-sojourner.html