The Road
you are standing in the middle of a road
it's common knowledge
that since the completion of its construction,
no vehicle has ever traversed this road
in the nearby village and surrounding area,
talk has always been that
no one has ever driven anything
down this road and unless walking,
to stay away because of its hazards
in fact, the road is often the butt of jokes
because of the difficulties it presents
for ease of travel and the wisdom of anyone driving it
certainly it is not an easy road and even though
it will take you to a definite destination,
it appears unlikely you'll get there unscathed
this is because it revolves around a precipitous fall
of a torrent diverted there
almost immediately after its construction
this descent impacts with a deafening din
and shakes the earth all around
it kicks up a shrouding fog
from the mist of its voluminous flow
so dense all you can smell
is its suffusion thick in the air
You can hardly see your hand,
if stretched out to arm's length,
let alone see to drive with anything
but trust that those who made and keep
this road
will have it take you where you want to be
while standing there, you see a man
emerge from the fog walking along side
this road
he shouts to you as he walks past
"you better get out from the middle of the road
because a large truck is making its way down
and you're going to get squashed like a bug!"
you wave him off and dismiss him
safe in all that common knowledge
has ever told you.
the man,
stumbling along the side of the road
as he walks,
fades away in the fog
you can see no truck
you can't hear any truck
you cannot even contrast a truck's
vibration of the road
you can't smell exhaust or fumes
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
passage off to the side with all its obstacles
than the wide, smooth expanse
of the middle as has been the custom
you will decide what you do
you will not decide what happens
it's common knowledge
that since the completion of its construction,
no vehicle has ever traversed this road
in the nearby village and surrounding area,
talk has always been that
no one has ever driven anything
down this road and unless walking,
to stay away because of its hazards
in fact, the road is often the butt of jokes
because of the difficulties it presents
for ease of travel and the wisdom of anyone driving it
certainly it is not an easy road and even though
it will take you to a definite destination,
it appears unlikely you'll get there unscathed
this is because it revolves around a precipitous fall
of a torrent diverted there
almost immediately after its construction
this descent impacts with a deafening din
and shakes the earth all around
it kicks up a shrouding fog
from the mist of its voluminous flow
so dense all you can smell
is its suffusion thick in the air
You can hardly see your hand,
if stretched out to arm's length,
let alone see to drive with anything
but trust that those who made and keep
this road
will have it take you where you want to be
while standing there, you see a man
emerge from the fog walking along side
this road
he shouts to you as he walks past
"you better get out from the middle of the road
because a large truck is making its way down
and you're going to get squashed like a bug!"
you wave him off and dismiss him
safe in all that common knowledge
has ever told you.
the man,
stumbling along the side of the road
as he walks,
fades away in the fog
you can see no truck
you can't hear any truck
you cannot even contrast a truck's
vibration of the road
you can't smell exhaust or fumes
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
passage off to the side with all its obstacles
than the wide, smooth expanse
of the middle as has been the custom
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
