On the tree-bordered path
an old man and a boy
with long hazel sticks
walked side by side
rain hats and jackets
zipped to the top
pockets buttoned
keeping their maps dry
They shared old stories
and young ambitions
The wind rustled up
a twister of leaves
full branches overhead
added their rain to the sky’s
Beneath, the walkers hunched shoulders
tucked chins down
and collars up
The path grew steeper, darker
and the heavy sky
grew heavier
Are you sure you can
walk this, the boy asked
It’s a long path
The old man’s eyes hinted
watery sweet laughter
The path is fine, he said
walking steady
stepping strong
When I was a boy
this path was long
The boy wanted to know
if the route had changed
or been shortened, but
No, nobody changed it
the old man replied
You mean the path shrunk
as you grew old?
Is the path your youth?
No, said the old man, smiling
It is just a path
Submitted for One Shot Wednesday 
This was beautiful!!
Good heavens, Talon, you made me jump. The second I posted this, there you were, with your lovely comment!! I’m doubly grateful since I’ve been off-line for a couple of weeks and figured all my blog friends will have moved to other sites by now. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Big hug to you.
This is absolutely charming. I loved it!
Glad you enjoyed it, Pattiken. Thanks
Zen or not, that old man blew that kids mind.
Glad you enjoyed it, Matt. Did it blow yours?
good to have you back! … and in such crystalline form, a journey of detail from the hazel of their sticks to the watery sweet laughter. I’m glad you are currently walking along my path. you make the walk a pleasing one.
Thanks, Brian. I hoped last night you wouldn’t take offence at my journey through your poem – a bit of poetic licence taken by the poet is one thing, but when the reader goes to town… Anyway, I love your writing and it’s great to be back here with my cyber-writer friends.
good morning…smiles. cute story…nice one shot and welcome back
Thanks, Brian. It’s great to take a break and come in, knowing my writer friends are still there – I didn’t realise how much I appreciate you guys. (( )) Big hug
Great poem Cindy. I saw your facebook post. I’m inspired by the thought of your novel. I’m glad you came back around to writing some poetry though.
This reminds me of a walk some friends of mine took. They were snow shoeing. The one friend looked at the other after an hour or so of walking and said, “So when do we get there?” The second friend kind of chuckled and said. “This is it. We’re there.”
Thanks for this one.
Thanks, Sue. I love the snowshoe story. Snow Zen.
“They shared old stories
and young ambitions” – my favorite line!
Thanks for your comment Ana. I enjoyed your story!
so glad you are back – and with such a wonderful poem… it’s just a path…loved this…in my opinion the ending makes this poem – it’s like reaching the top of the hill after a long, steady walk…
Beautiful poem. I love the narration and the depiction of the two walkers as the rain began to pour. At the end of your poem, all that came to me was ‘a path is a path’ it is not long nor short, it is not a metaphor or anything. It is simply a path and one walks through it.
Thanks for sharing this poem.
Thanks 83. I love that you caught the heart of the old man’s statement, taking life as it is, without judgment.
Clever, wise, all that appropriately Asian poetry jazz.
Thank you Steve. Welcome to the sight!
love the questions it raises and the thoughts it provokes. so many twists and turns to learn through
A delightful One Shot
Thanks so much for coming by this week
Hope you have a delightful weekend
and hope to see you again soon at One stop Poetry
Moon smiles
Thank you Moon, for your comments, and especially for the warm and welcoming platform we writers appreciate
oh, i like this… i’m so glad you linked to imperfect, so i could meet you. please, join our community next week… it opens up wednesday nights, and people are very good at commenting… it’s a haven for the hurt and hopeful… peace to you, friend. e.
Thank you Emily so much for the warm welcome to your community. I really look forward to reading and writing there. Recently I haven’t been blogging quite so much because I’m working hard to finish a novel, but I will participate whenever and as often as I can. I love finding writing communities that dig below the surface, and pull things into the light so that they may be dissipated, understood, healed, loved and accepted. As writers we have such a wonderful tool for inner growth and outer grace. It’s good to find a platform for this, as well as for our craft.
(( )) Big Hug
I loved every word of this. I felt as though I was a part of their conversation.
Thankyou, Rene. I think we all need a wise old man in our lives. Glad you enjoyed it!
It’s an insightful poem. I love it, reminding me of riddles exchanged between a zen master and his student. In doing so, the wise master intended to teach the young student. The old man shows his wisdom to the “ambitious” boy through a few conversations. Good work!
Thank you, Suny. So glad and humbled to see you here. When you post your next writing, please send me a link. I want to read your work too. Big Hug (( ))
Would that every little boy had such an old man he could walk through the woods with!! Such naive boyish arrogance the kid has when he wonders aloud if the old man could make it without tiring out and how much of patient wisdom borne out of experience the old man has!!When I was young , the path was long, says he. Now for him it’s just a path. How rarely we keep that in mind , always in a hurry to get there from here and from there to some place else. Lovely reminder this was, to learn to live in the present moment:-)
Thank you for your enjoyment Nadira!