A LONG DAY ON THE ROAD
(A travelogue memory dedicated
to Chak V Walker)
πππ
She drove home
from the airport
Alone.
After a short respite
from a long flight
Having a cup of coffee
And a little random chat.
It was already afternoon
It shuddered my imagination.
How could this elfy woman
be bold and fearless
to traverse the wilderness
in a dark-caved woodland
that spans a hundred
zigzag kilometres
before it reaches
the clearing?
I looked at her
questioning her wisdom.
I know
she has more
knowledge than I
do, to doubt her.
She knew better
the way to confront
darkness, nobody knew.
Undeterred; unfazed
Nonchalant about risks.
Dark-caved mountains
Open highways and plains
Narrow, steep and winding
roads passing through villages;
Quiet, small and tiny.
Sometimes dead or ghostly.
Sombre clouds threatening,
And high wind areas
breaking the monotony
Of a traveller's monopoly.
How many hours passed?
Silence is company
Few breakers of laughter
In between the drowsy
deaf tone of the engine.
Running without fuss
Wheels aligned on heels
Off the road without dust
Tarred and paved
Till she reached the clearing!
The town came into view
Speed and velocity
in their mighty roar
hastened the momentum.
Then, the rain came
tumbling down like
it was a baptismal day:
a postscript to a summer spree.
Home at last,
but not yet.
For there's another
wooded bogland she'd
yet to drive through.
Though not as
dark as the caved-dome
of the mountains, browned
with mossy barks
and strips of fallen trees.
Unmindful of darkness;
In the absence
of moonlight and stars,
they're nowhere to be seen.
The sky too was clearing
and the balmy night singing.
Home in sight at last
To her lover's delight
Her pedals brake at midnight
And autumn had just begun.
Leah C. Dancel
Copyright@lcd2019
All rights reserved
Australia
2 March 2019
March 2, 2014
Post Script:
On your homecoming, this I dedicate…
Chak V Walker - my boardmate, my long time friend, my family who adopted me without ado, my flatmate, my sounding board, my treasury, my boss, my master, my manghud. πππππππ
While she drives, I shoot photos.
Comment from Jeffrey Cejero:
Wow! This is a very good example of free verse po nay! You have woven beautiful story, used clear metaphors, used beautiful words to create images....
I love the last stanza so much. There are so many hidden meanings po nay. Accept this darkness po nay, this evening... it's the way to your bright morning and beautiful autumn
God bless po nay.
