In Praise of Footpaths

IN PRAISE OF FOOTPATHS Across the land a web of footpaths weave The veins that nourished nation’s interaction Cross chalk down ridge, vale, sylvan lane, conceived By feet of ancient Britons, Celt and Saxon A parallel web of thought now spreads world wide Where words not footsteps trace a myriad tracks Each traversed packet bears the key to decide It’s destination; choice already packed No more need, in flesh, to bear our information And impart it face to face in personal meeting While a person from Porlock mayn’t disturb a poet’s gestation Nor may they both perceive delight in greeting When we go the old ways we can choose the goal of our heading We might also determine the path on which we are treading