Path Of The Soul

I walked along a grey surface
following in the footsteps
 of many who had gone before
 their souls bound to the
 thoroughfare by their paces
 that left no impression 
 nor did the grooves of their
 footwear gather earth or peddle
 unsoiled soles vanish without trace
 
The path laid out for utility
 designed purpose for a place
 was safe and firm, assured
 leading to a single  destination
 the direction mattered not
the arrival was the terminus
 the beginning at the end
 walking with my head down
 I casually followed the monotony
 
From beyond the mounded earth
 covered with vegetation, bramble and
 nettle growing from the soil
there were sounds of a fluid life 
 and in breaks there were trails
 worn by past adventurers 
 exposing brown earth and mud
 that tarnished the soles once clean
 of those tempted to leave the official path
 
A trail was  flanked by remnants of the previous
 seasons growth and dormant decay where
 new life was rising with celandine stars shining
 unsteadily my feet found their place
 as limbs outstretched to balance
 in a clumsy choreography with air
 I stood on a grassy bank where revealed 
 the barricaded beauty of a river of life
 it's surface flickering diamonds of reflection.

- Ciaran Burke