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Unpaved Road
Winter has blemished my skin
leaving deep wounds inside
there is still no sign of spring
but joy was overflowing within.
I took an afternoon stroll along a quite path
searching desperately for a new start
the sun was shining, hope was riding
but it didn't feel like spring.
I looked closely at the trees
but the buds had not yet appeared
dried branches hang sadly in despair
murmuring that winter is still in the air.
Brown saggy grass lie wretchedly in the soaked ground
while naked trees stare with a miserable frown
the winter birds were not flying restlessly around
they must have migrated to another town.
I kept walking, hoping to breath fresh air
but the atmosphere was saturated with an awful smell
there wasn't anything to up lift my parched spirit
so I knelt behind a dry tree stump
and whisper a tearful prayer to the omnipotent one.
When I got up I felt energy and peace flowing inside
so I went on an afternoon adventure on the other side.
I kept walking as if I was searching for something
It’s as if something was happening somewhere
I ended up on an unpaved road that leads
to another community in the bushes next to the rich town.
Nothing exciting was flowing through the air
except the awful stench of burnt chicken feather
mingled with burnt fire wood pelting smoke in the air.
I followed the smell and entered through a farm gate
hoping to find fresh fruits and vegetables
but instead I pounced upon hens, ducks and goose
in a make shift coop and a big iron pot
sitting upon a blazing fire, men and women
were slaughtering the chicken orders.
I wasn't sure if I was in America
I didn't take a plane,
I just walked through a gate
and here I was in a total different place.
The people looked strange
they couldn't speak my Language
so I hurried away from that terrifying place.
I continued walking along the unpaved road
moving up and down the winding path
with dried bushes and shrubs separated the track
and on every corner there was a sign posted on trees
private property, beware of bad dogs and no trespassing.
There were many cluttered trails
and there was no way to get beyond the woody gates
bushes, stagnant water and dumped rubbish
paved the ground next to a rich neighborhood in town.
I felt perplexed and sad but kept walking along
suddenly the sun appeared from behind the bushes
with its beaming light flashing all around
the intensity was so strong I could hardly look at it with my naked eyes.
And so the sunlit sky hanged courageously
over the unpaved road next to a neighborhood in the rich town.
Copyright ©
Christine Phillips
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