My Rise and Fall (I am a road) (Poetry Monthly)

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 19 Oct 2015
  • 2551 reads
9 comments
 

Now, this is my story from birth to decay –
how was it I came to exist
to signal direction, and make a connection –
how long would my purpose persist?

They walked, and rode horses from farm to farm,
down there to the village and back;
then built themselves carts that could carry their goods,
so gradually made me a track.

By moving obstructions, and levelling my bumps,
improved me – I then was a lane,
depositing gravel or heavy stone slabs
so wheels wouldn’t stick in the rain.

Busier and busier as cars multiplied,
strongly re-surfaced at last,
tarmacked, well-founded, and widened so that
the cars that they met could get past. …

 

… Farms became derelict, towns grew in size,
I found myself less often used,
money was tight, and my pot-hole repairs
were delayed, or neglected, refused.

My edges then crumbled, each winter the cracks
were spreading, and grass roots took hold,
no longer a road, soon a lane, then a track –
drive with care, for my (sur)face is old.

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous
Children's
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

any criticism welcomed. I didn't know whether to put it under 'children's' genre, as it wasn't particularly for children, but I think could be. And I didn't know whether it was acceptable to put it under 'autobiography' when it is 'autobiography of a road' (fictional!)? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I love the idea of the story coming from the road itself. I think if old roads could speak, what a story they'd have to tell, of the history behind how it started out and what it then became is like an autobiography, which you described so well Rhiannon.

I know how hard it is to get a poem to come together, but I can see how much effort you've put into this one.

Great read.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks for your appreciation again, Jenny. It is interesting how sometimes parts of poems may come easily, and other parts need a lot of working on, leaving awhile, going back to.
We walk a lot of country lanes and footpaths, and while on one, these thoughts started about how the old tracks came into being, and then sometimes got improved into roads. And we see a lot of lanes and roads decaying for want of attention too. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by celticman on

it's a long road winding back to dirt and perhaps the shift will give brith to something else.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Who knows! or the crumbling roads may get needed again, and money found to better them, but not get too busy in the country! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

I liked the story telling capacity of the road - and the feeling of history coming and going.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Jean. I enjoyed thinking about the possible/probable development of roads and getting into a rhythmic fun verse! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

A hearty, rustic one, Rhiannon and a transportation in itself.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Vera. Rhiannon