Trail

By Mary E. Adair

Life is a trail that wanders
Through brambles and over the sand,
It takes us to the highest mount
That graces our fair land.

It leads at times in dark of night,
Or through the blistering sun,
It's always there to lead us on
Until our travel's done.

Sometimes we skip along our trail
And listen to laughter and song,
And then we hit a stretch of rain
And feel it lasts too long.

The trail leads on and so we go
Pursuing our very own way -
It seems we barely rest sometimes
As we proceed both night and day.

We seldom pause to wonder why -
Our trail takes us much too fast
To stop and plan our every step -
We hurry to reach the last.

And when our steps are slowing,
Perhaps on a field of stone,
We look around and ask aloud
If we are traveling alone.

Then forward on the trail we plod
And just around the bend
With smiles of greeting and loving hugs
We meet our kith and kin.

Sometimes they walk ahead so far
We think we've lost our path
But for each of us a trail is laid
And no one ever hath.

Sometimes we hear footsteps
Of those who follow our lead -
And realize responsibility
To wisely meet their need.

For no one knows who might walk
Along our trail's faint tread -
Seeking to emulate our thought
And to follow where we've led.

So we must do our best to stay
On the better trail we find,
Carefully skirting each obstacle
Because of those behind.

And when we decide to rest and
Say farewell to those we love -
We bless each one, then we step up
To travel the trail above.

©11/28/07 Mary E. Adair