The Fork in the Road

 

 

I had been walking for a while

When I came to a fork in the road,

I decided to stop for a rest

And temporarily jettisoned my load.

I was considering my two options

When I heard a distinct voice,

“I see you are pondering,” it said,

“Perhaps mulling over your choice”

I had not seen him at first

Maybe I was just too tired to see

For he stood not far away

And he appeared quite elderly.

His beard was unusually long

And I must add it was all white.

There was an ancient look to him

And he presented quite a sight.

He ambled over to me

With the greatest of ease,

For his age he moved rather well

Like a machine well greased.

“I have been here about for ages,”

He expressly said to me,

“I have seen many come and go

So there’s little I don’t know.

And you are one of the many

That I have seen at this spot,

I await your obvious question

And you know just what.”

I thought of his approach

As you see he was quite blunt,

He did not beat around the bush

He went straight to the point.

“I have come a long way,” I said,

“I have been walking for a while,

However, enquiring the way of others

Is normally not my style.

However, you look quite informed

So perhaps you might be aware

Which of the better of these two ways

I can proceed without much care.”

“Before I give you my answer

Let me tell you who I am,

Not that this really matters 

For I am just an ordinary man.

 

Many have come to this fork

Adjoining this very road

And like you did they too

Temporarily disposed of their load.

Then they asked the question,

The same one I knew you would ask,

At the first I had no answer

But time has made easy my task.

At first when I could not answer

I said the way is up to you,

They took one and then the other

Each time returning with a view.

First they went to the left or right

Then returned after many days,

Dissatisfied with the way they took

Then turned and went the other way.

Not many days after that

They would return again confused

Then take the other way again

Dissatisfied with any way they choose.

I have learnt from their experiences

And have attempted none of the ways,

That’s why I am here at this point

Still undecided even up until today.

So if an answer you still require

I can give you a definite one today,

Take either left or right of this fork

And you’d wish you’d gone the other way.”

But what is definite about an answer

That does not determine the way?

It’s only a way that appears to be right

By which many a one is led astray.

So before I close off this poem

For the weary traveller I’ve got good news,

There’s a way with no fork in the road

It’s the way that you should choose.

It is the straight and narrow way

We should walk and keep looking up ahead

Trusting in our Faithful Guide

Assured that we are correctly led.

So that we have no such dilemmas 

Concerning forks appearing in the road

And our cross He helps us carry

For He has already lightened our load.

For it’s Jesus who walks with us

It’s God who holds our hand

It’s the Holy Spirit who shows the way

The Godhead directs our life plan

So if ever you come to a fork in the road

Take neither the left nor the right,

The pilgrim’s pathway is straight ahead!

We walk by faith and not by sight.

Stewart Russell © 2017