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Friday, May 4, 2012

The Cracks in the Pavement

Roadside_by_patu


I love the feel of a familiar road,
The cracks in the pavement
Telling the stories of the wanderers
Who cruised in their DeSotos and Hudsons,
Mustangs and Corvairs,
Seeking all the adventure life had to offer;
Each elm and pine leaning in from the ditch banks
An old friend wishing this traveler well;
Comfort rolling beneath my wheels.
But when the road leads into the misty unknown,
I find myself wishing for a sense of direction,
A mystic map to guide me,
Signs to warn me of dangerous curves,
Falling rocks and other highway hazards.
Let me find the courage
To park my fear alongside the road
And continue my own journey,
In hopes that one day
The cracks in the pavement
Will tell future travelers
The stories of this wanderer
And the adventure life held in store for her.


~~~ This poem was written in response to Kerry's Wednesday Challenge - On the Road over at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads and the Thursday Think Tank at Poets United prompt of "wish."

13 comments:

Christine said...

so true about creating your own route in life

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

I'm at the stage in my journey of which you write so poignantly: wishing for a sense of direction and a map. However, if wishes were horses (Mother Goose says), then beggars would ride!

Raven Has One Wish

Mary said...

Mary, I like the idea of parking one's fear along the road and continuing the journey. Sometimes there are no directions, no maps. One just has to walk on, with blind faith....

Hannah said...

Each elm and pine leaning in from the ditch banks
An old friend wishing this traveler well;


This image really grabbed me, Mary, very creative! Smiles!

Sharp Little Pencil said...

Mary, love the allusion to the great models of old... and the fact that this fit both Poets and Toads' prompts was sweet, too!! Here's mine from Toads, because it goes along with yours in many ways. Peace, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2012/05/02/driving-lesson/

Peggy said...

This poem has such a magic way of making me feel the way the poem seems to feel--comfort then comfort challenged by uncertainty but ending with hope. Really nice work. I like the picture too. It reminds me of the scenery when we lived in the Netherlands.

Kerry O'Connor said...

But when the road leads into the misty unknown,
I find myself wishing for a sense of direction...

These lines did a great job of turning the literal to the figurative. I really enjoyed your descriptive writing in this poem.

Victoria said...

I like the way you let yourself consider different aspects of the road, the memories and desire for direction, then brought it around to legacy. It was fun for me how you named some of the car models from the past.

Scarlet said...

I like familiar roads too but want to share my thoughts on new roads to other travelers. I like the mystic map... Very good reflections ~

Brian Miller said...

i really like that line on how the cracks in the pavement will tell future wanderers who came this way...i think we do leave bread crumbs like that intentionally or otherwise...

Gerry Snape said...

such an important growing up memory...cracks in the pavement...my grandchildren do it now. So to take that and make a road poem...brilliant!

Sharp Little Pencil said...

Mary, love your take on the prompt. There is so much imagery here, that intimate connection with a well-worn road... Also love how you worked in the "wish" prompt as well. Very good write! Thanks, Amy

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I like the wishing for a mystic map, and the wish to park fear alongside the road.....and the comfort of a familiar road.........I enjoyed this poem very much!