Down along old Roman road
more Roman road I found
Wandering a long brick Roman road
built narrow as only Rome could lay long
step by step guiding all strides
fell this one path as it rose
Brick by brick deep-set resting bones
budge not one as they flow
forward as far as forever
or backward
from now where forgotten it goes
By sword, by spear
by David’s dread archers’ first volatile wave
slung their hail of stones
Warriors’ blood must surely have spilled
thick-red upon these old Roman roads
of scorching flames burning lines
row by row Roman smoke to rise
falling beneath Nero’s sharpening stares
in Rome dying as Romans die
Down along lone Roman road
more Roman road I found
when if in Rome then finally I
find the end of mine
