Wild Walks

The route was tainted

Turned poisonous and stagnant

A sign beckoning travelers

To turn away-

Find a way around-

Despite the welcoming entrance

The wide open space,

The seemingly level ground-

Picture perfect pollution-

Swallowing the mind

And filling ears with screams

Of the lost and fallen,

A wrong step

A wrong look

And the evergreens swallow

Circling in-

Vultures on the hunt-

Intent to bring ruin-

Did you read the sign

Turn back

Turn away

Detour that way-

An arrow pointing along

A rutted road

Lined with boulders and briars

Stretching towards sky,

A wall meant to keep out-

Appearance of a fence

A trigger point-

Eyes double back

Turn back

Turn away

Questioning minds wander-

Afraid of a wall believed to hold in

Not to protect from preying monsters-

A deep breath

As curiosity emerges

And feet make their own way

Working through wilderness-

A freedom desired

Not direction

Despite the mass’s desire

To follow the same line

Presented by those before.

Katrina Thornley is a nature poet. novelist, and freelance journalist that resides in Rhode Island. She has two poetry collections currently published, a novel, as well as a short story anthology. Her poetry collections "Arcadians: Lullaby in Nature" and "Arcadians: Wooden Mystics" were inspired by a local park and life in her small rural town. You can find them on Amazon now!

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