Still stands, that lone milestone, at the heart of a lavender meadow
Once the soul of a million jaunts, now estranged, to its own shadow
There ain’t anyone, who passes by, this gasping fossil
For that road is lost in history, which went over the hill

How different was that man, who had the time to spend
Count butterflies, on the way, slurp life, by the river’s bend
How yearned countless caravans, as they kissed me adieu
“We cede our hearts, at your feet, till we start a tryst anew”

“Ain’t time money, and money time!” I heard the engineers speak
As they stabbed thru, that face of the hill, which overlooked the creek
Yes! Indeed! New truth did show! Many hours did man forego!
From that ‘tedious’ toil, as he sped past, the mowed moor’s woe

So many miles saved and a milestone too, in the middle of nowhere
Who led many men to destiny, castoff, with a silent prayer!
Half bowed since then, that trail’s doyenne, till the time does dethrone
The king who lost, to mad pursuit of man, that lone milestone

© 2016 Vikas Chandra