To the Crossroad

From my first scream I walked the road With one, two, or more persons bearing my load, Tickling me to smile and soothing me when I cried And I knew not how darkness differs from light Till when the clouds above became a gloom And the earth beneath like a milling machine Shook the knees of them that carried my load, Forcing them to cast the load upon my head After which they left me behind the walls of care. And behold, the road diverged into two dissimilar roads: One going to the left and another to the right And sorry to me, I could not walk both of them But to choose one, and that on the left later on I chose For it was well adorned with gold, and its travelers in joy Unlike the other from which the calm oozing voice came Promising the sweetest things at the end of the road But how could I leave behind that which was at hand Running after the promises of the voice of the invisible source And walk the road that seemed slippery and grievous? O but now I see I was deceived: For the gold I saw was but dust in guise People's teeth clenched in pain seemed like signs of joy; The road stinks with rotten walking carcasses Hit sorely by the ground beneath their bleeding feet And by the scorching sun above their bony heads. Shall I not go back to the crossroad for the right decision? For I hear the voice still calling me back out of this delusion Oh, let me turn to the heeding of the distant call For by the helping power of the one calling me I'll overcome and victory shall be my portion.