Cold Shoulder

The side of a road’s called a shoulder, but why? The resemblance, to me, isn’t striking. The berm or the edge, a more literal choice, Would be, somehow, much more to my liking. I enjoy a good metaphor when apropos But in this case I’m driven to wonder Why not elbow or ankle or even an ear – All could help to keep stop lanes asunder. Who came up with this phrase? Not a bureaucrat, no. Maybe somebody clever with wordin’ And because of his efforts, we’re left, to this day, With the need to thus shoulder the burden.