There are moments that linger. Late at night, headlights cut through the darkness, while a song stirs emotions beyond words. In these fleeting moments, strength quietly rises, guiding us forward even when the path ahead is unclear.
The Roads We Carry explores the resilience found in these moments. The poem captures how music, like the road, steadies us through uncertainty, offering no answers—just a rhythm to follow.
The Roads We Carry — The Poem
By Kerry Ann Wiley
A cassette hums in twilight’s haze,
Static crackles through forgotten days.
Neon signs flicker, a restless glow,
Edges blur—no place to go.
The chords rise up, a whispered dare,
A drifter’s hymn fills the open air.
“Here I go again,” the voice insists,
Each note a map, a chance, a twist.
The road unfolds, no end in sight,
Wheels turning under pale moonlight.
The music swells, a quiet roar,
Freedom hums through an open door.
When the weight of the world starts to press,
And silence cradles old distress,
The beat still echoes, steady and kind—
A guide to the heart, a solace for the mind.
Years unravel, but the melody stays,
Threading through life’s winding maze.
Not just a tune, not just a refrain—
The rhythm remains.
In The Roads We Carry, music becomes more than just a soundtrack. It carries emotions that words cannot express. The cassette hums softly, its crackle punctuating the silence, a fragile but steady reminder that even imperfections hold meaning.
The static doesn’t interrupt the rhythm; it deepens it. As the cassette moves through its cycles—rewinding, playing, and slowly fading with use—it retains something timeless despite its flaws.
The poem reflects the idea of moving forward, even when answers feel distant. In the poem, the road is more than just a path. It becomes a metaphor for transition, carrying the weight of the past while remaining open to what lies ahead.
The movement in the poem isn’t driven by urgency but guided by intention. The road reflects life’s steady pace, even when the direction and destination remain unclear. Its rhythm offers reprieve from uncertainty. These moments linger, carved into the spaces where the music fades and the road ends, flowing into the intersections of uncertainty and hope. Sometimes, simply moving forward is enough.
The Roads We Carry honors the strength in persistence. The road serves as a bridge, connecting past, present, and future. Both the road and music create a space for reflection, where life’s questions can coexist with forward motion.
The road symbolizes life’s path, while music represents rhythm and introspection. Together, they form a contemplative space where unanswered questions can be considered without halting progress.
This suggests that uncertainty doesn’t have to hinder movement; instead, reflection and action can happen simultaneously, allowing growth even without complete clarity.
The cassette’s static and crackle symbolize impermanence, adding depth to the moment. Listening becomes an act of remembering, feeling, and continuing. “The rhythm remains” echoes this persistence—a steady strength through life’s changes.
The road is a liminal space, always between what was and what is to come. Headlights carve clarity into the darkness, while the shadowed horizon holds the unknown This tension mirrors life—where clarity and uncertainty intertwine, allowing space for reflection without demanding answers.
The car, small and intimate, becomes a vessel for freedom. The music blends with the wind through open windows, connecting the interior and exterior worlds. Together, the road and music process emotions, allowing questions to linger without the need for resolution.
In The Roads We Carry, the road and music come together to create a space where uncertainty feels less overwhelming. The road, stretching into the unknown, reflects life’s transitions, while music offers a steady rhythm to follow. The crackle of a worn cassette and the hum of wheels remind us that strength lies in the act of moving forward, even when the way ahead isn’t always clear.
These moments—lit by headlights and accompanied by music—offer comfort in their simplicity. The road serves as a quiet presence, where clarity and uncertainty meet, and music fills the silence with emotions too deep for words. The music fades, but its rhythm lingers—a quiet reminder that moving forward, no matter how uncertain, is a strength in itself.
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