Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Imagining a Roman Road


I imagine him walking briskly,
and it would be briskly, don’t
you think, along one of those
great Roman roads, those vias
they marvelled at but we would say
thank you for asphalt and concrete,
I can’t imagine driving on those
stones for long.

Despite the stones or because of
them, his feet and ankles are
covered in fine dust and an
occasional smear of mud when it
rains which isn’t often. His bag has
a few tools and a skin for water
because he’s nobody’s fool and
he know water is life.

He stops in small towns and cities,
wherever he finds a synagogue and
a few places where he doesn’t. When
he’s done speaking he looks to see who
follows after the elders stomp their feet,
always a few but he doesn’t keep count
because intensity matters more than number
and the journey less than the mission.

To see other poems submitted for One Shot Wednesday, please visit One Stop Poetry.

49 comments:

Claudia said...

..intensity matters more than number…love this!

Maureen said...

I like "a skin for water" and, like Claudia, "intensity matters more than the number".

I can see him walking la via.

Bubba said...

Obviously a man on an important mission. I liked the historical bend of this one too.

Rumor buster: Today's modern railroad tracks are NOT the same width as ancient Roman chariot wheels.

william manson said...

I love history this was right up my street, bravo :)

Beachanny said...

Those first news bearer would have gone to homes and synagogues, welcome reminder of our constant relationship to the people of the MiddleEast. You paint quite the image of the bringer of light. Thank you. Gay

dustus said...

feel compelled to also quote the ending, "intensity matters more than number / and the journey less than the mission." Very well done. The imagery in your lines is amazing.

Steven Marty Grant said...

Good use of allusion in setting this up. Could be read many different ways depending on the readers background/beliefs. Well done indeed!

PattiKen said...

great imagery. I can see him there, striding forward, gathering souls along with the miles.

anthonynorth said...

A road story with a difference. Excellent.

Linda said...

This gently carried me along on the journey down those forbidding roads. Wonderful Glynn.

Brian Miller said...

intensity matter more than numbers...would have like to get my feet dusty on that road with him...excellent one shot glynn...

Desert Rose said...

i enjoyed the flow,great imagery..felt its power..very well expressed! interesting one shot!

Timoteo said...

Last two lines are perfect.

Monkey Man said...

Romans built roads to help the traveler build their own. Great piece.

Victoria Ceretto-Slotto said...

To me, this conjures up Paul. Beautifully done.

Kathleen Overby said...

Feeling the grooves
ground across
the roman road~
traction for chariots~
my feet bare
where he walked

if only he could
wash my feet
too~
afterwards

KB said...

Certainly a journey worth taking.

moondustwriter said...

His mission...
what more can I say but that made all the difference

deep breath taken after that Glynn

A best of One Shots

Moon thanks

gautami tripathy said...

I could visualize him walking. Wonderful ending too!

ode to un-puntuated verses

Caty said...

great visuals; I felt I was there with Him...wish I had been! This was a great poem

signed...bkm said...

Yes, first person I thought of was Paul....a force that summoned ...walking those Roman roads...very nice images ...bkm

Shashidhar Sharma said...

Wonderful story...Journey less than the mission...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya

Peggy said...

WOW... many blessings... no I can't imagine either...

On my way to your post below but how could I pass up this wonderful road.

"...because intensity matters more than number and the journey less than the mission."

Absolutely drew me in... with wonderful words and the stones...

Thank you. And for your encouragement also at MISSIONS
Peggy

TALON said...

I enjoyed this poem so much. I could see him on his mission and the last two lines just reinforced that idea beautifully. It's the journey and not the destination.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful writing! Your words took me on a journey...

Anonymous said...

now
i am
imagining one too

Wild Rose said...

Loved every word and so beautifully portrayed. Tight oneshot~

Belinda Munoz said...

Beautiful, Glynn. Many miles of hard road and yet "...the journey less than the mission."

I happen to think so, too.

Thank you for this reassurance.

Belinda
thehalfwaypoint.net

Gabriela Abalo said...

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Lao Tzu

Great post!

Cassandra Frear said...

I've always been fascinated by this period of history and would love to walk on a Roman Road.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

it is the process that makes one happy and feel, not the destination,
brilliant message!
beautiful job!

richd said...

Okay--who is "he"?

Ben Langhinrichs said...

I have visited some Roman ruins (and walked in Roman sewers in two countries), and I was often overwhelmed with the looking back. You do that well, and then some.

Louise Gallagher said...

Nice.

The road is long and you make it more bearable.

Very nice.

(And yes, "intensity matters more than number" -- powerful)

Kelly Sauer said...

I imagine too. I love this picture.

"Intensity matters more than number..."

You requested RAP links at your blog, so here is mine: Where I Come From.


I feel like I'm still learning poetry - or relearning it. Thanks for the prompt to get back to my roots. I think it was good for me.

Unknown said...

Thanks for taking me down that road...beautiful!

Everyday Goddess said...

i like how you portray the dedication it took to keep going.

a great reminder for us all.

SuziCate said...

And with His journey we all these years later are blessed with His love, light, and hope! Thank you for this today.

Maude Lynn said...

This is fantastic.

Anonymous said...

" journey less than the mission." .. i eh\choed the same thought on roads few weeks back ! loved this closing lines ..

Carrie Van Horn said...

Glynn this is such an inspiring poem...the thoughts and truths of a disciple's journey...the last 2 lines say it all...:-)

Marshy said...

i saw my poem in this today, but thought yours was so much better...an excellent write my friend..cheers pete

John (@bookdreamer) said...

they lived in colour and like us had no idea that they were the past...Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem. Hope your week goes well.

Anonymous said...

Such a treat, your words. A tightly written piece with incomparable perception. Rich. Love the title too!

Khakjaan Wessington said...

A shame. A good idea, a promising start, but then the poem gets bloated with thwarted imagining. I am not walking the Roman road, I am at a desk with the writer, trying to imagine that I'm walking the Roman road. Try again.

Anonymous said...

Nicely wielded pen here...very inspiring. Wonderful oneshot!!! Thanks for sharing :)

HisFireFly said...

Intensity matters more indeed!

Witnessing quite a bit of "stomping elders" myself lately...

well done

Marcus Goodyear said...

Those last two lines are worth it. Great stuff.

(And here's a late link for RAP.)
http://www.goodwordediting.com/sound-your-barbaric-yawp-over-the-net/1376/

Anonymous said...

Great journey down an historical road!

Teresa