Milestone
When I first saw the prompt from Sara this week, I have to say that I had to wrack my brains a bit. I wasn’t sure at first what I was going to write. I wasn’t even sure if I was going to take part! But, of course, like most things I was determined to come up with something.
So, yesterday afternoon I had a little think about what a milestone actually was. Yes, it does denote a significant event or stage in the development of something but it is also a stone set up beside a road to mark the distance in miles to a particular place. You see them still dotted about on many roadsides across the UK. Then I got to thinking just how many milestones the actual milestone must have seen. And so, I wrote this from a milestone’s perspective and thus, my poem was born! A recording of my reading is at the top of the poem, so why not listen along?
Milestone
I was placed here with the markings
Showing how far there is to go
In my time I’ve seen some things
There is so much I know
I’ve seen carriages pulled by horses
Seeking a travellers rest
Seen people have discourses
Although, not always at their best
As the years passed by
Time has changed so many things
The markings now a cat’s eye
And the traffic that it brings
Sometimes there’s a lost shoe
Or someone’s dropped a key
When they are desperate for the loo
They use the roadside for a wee
They have dug a hole
And laid things underneath
I have seen them stroll
And some have laid a wreath
The milestones that I’ve seen
Through the times and through the ages
Although there’s nowhere I have been
I could write some history pages
Victoria Welton 2nd February 2016
This is so good. A milestone telling stories of milestones…brilliant idea, I hope you’re very proud of it 🙂 xox
I like the way you’ve turned this on its head here – it is really interesting to focus in on just one very specific place and think about how the passage of time has swirled around it… x
Thank you very much Sophie – glad you like it 🙂 x
Great idea to write from a milestone’s perspective Vicky and I think you’ve done a great job of conveying all the things that they might have encountered and witnessed!
Thank you very much Carol – I like the fact that it’s a bit different! x
Love that you made a recording too, and love the crown milestone pic. Top work Mrs!
Thank you Cara 🙂 x
Love this perspective on the prompt, so clever and wonderful to think of all the things that a milestone must have witnessed. Love it! Thank you so much for sharing with #ThePrompt x
Thanks so much Sara – I thought it would be a bit different 🙂 x
Hi Victoria, you do write your poems well, I wouldn’t know where to start. We have an old milestone on the main road here and whilst I have wondered how old it actually is I’ve never wondered what it has seen. You know what I’ll be wondering next time I see it! I bet it’s seen a thing or two, too.
xx
Love this perspective for this week’s prompt – wouldn’t it be amazing if some of these inanimate objects could talk and tell us all about the things they have seen over the years? 🙂
Oh, those stories those milestones could tell! My parents have a few statues in their yard, and I often think about the stories they could tell from all the people they’ve seen come and go. Your words are beautiful. Keep sharing them!
I like perspective you’ve taken writing as the milestone… and love the last two lines of this poem. Lovely to listen while I read too.
It is so lovely to understand where a poem has come from, and in this case it is really great, creative perspective. I love how you think. xx
Love how you turned the whole thing round and wrote from the POV of an actual milestone! So creative! You’re right, I bet they’ve seen some things in their time. Thanks for linking to #WhatImWriting
Lovely poem! I loved it for the fact that it is the perspective of the milestone. Very creative and original! Yep, I am sure there are many history pages that could indeed be written and shared.
I absolutely adored this. I have always admired and wondered about the history of every mile stone I pass and what they could say if all that they have ‘seen’ through the ages. I often find, when walking the ancient public rights of way in the UK, that I can almost feel the history of those that have left their footprints there before me. This was so beautiful to read. Thank you x
This is an outright favourite! Loved this on so many levels and those mile stones have always held so much love and fascination to me too. Beautiful!
Lovely and so original. I will be looking out for milestones now and will think of your poem when I do.
I love the idea of milestones you carry with you :). Great poem
Really enjoyed your poem. 🙂 xx
I am so impressed by your creativity – lovely reading x
This is brilliant! I wish I had your ability to think so far out of the box, not to mention your talent at poetry, of course!
Lovely!