The Old Wagon Wheel

I saw an old wagon wheel in the antique store the other day. What type of vehicle it must have conveyed, I couldn't really say, But I let my imagination roam as I studied the old wheel, And pondered its odyssey and what secrets it might reveal. Its iron tire was pitted and rusted due to age. The wooden spokes were intact but their age was hard to gauge. Its diameter was about five feet and its tread six inches wide. Ah, if it could only speak to me, its mysteries to confide! Could it have carried a pioneer family in a Conestoga wagon west, With the anticipation of a new beginning in their relentless quest! It with other wagon wheels rutted well-worn trails along the way, And traces of those treacherous routes are seen to this very day! Could it have graced an army lorry drawn by cantankerous mules, Driven by a pugnacious trooper to deliver hay, grub and tools? The wear and tear was evident due to many military campaigns, Crossing perilous rivers, mountain heights and endless arid plains. Or could it have borne a farmer's wagon as he plied his trade, Hauling crops of wheat, corn and oats once the harvest was made? Oh, the many miles it endured through the mud, dust and snow! I left the store still musing about its odyssey of so very long ago. Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired