Michelle Lee 2D'07

The Footpath

I am a humble pavement,
Set in stone without a glint;
Your footsteps, my imprint,
Countless contact yet distant.

I am before long forgotten,
Lack of simple salutes down;
With my surroundings I am drowned,
Colourless hues form this unlocked Eden.

I am a slave to the ground,
A child's fingers intrigued by my intricacies;
The yearning to have no boundaries,
The craving to leave you spellbound.

I am much more than a slate,
I am a mystery you have yet to translate.

Epilogue:
My inspiration for this poem was found during our time at the Botanic Gardens when I noticed the ground had a design of fossilized plants and flowers. This triggered my thoughts on how ignorant Man may be towards Nature. We run carefree on this ground yet we do not seem to glance down to notice the detailed work of Nature on it. The aim of my poem was to show how even though Man contact is so close to Nature, literally our feet and the ground, we are far apart. A simple trail with sparingly few colours compared to its surroundings such as bright, luscious flowers and trees; can still be inspiring. I wanted to bring the pavement to life by using a child’s playful curiosity as he traces the outline of the grooves and how a simple gesture like this shows an unpretentious appreciation of Nature. I personally was fascinated by these fossilized plants and flowers impressed onto the pathway even though it may not be real fossils; it is the symbolic meaning of the impressions carved into the ground that sparked my emotions and thoughts.
- Michelle Lee 2D'07