No Other Way Home

Tola stood and looked at the road.
The clouds were grey above.

Water stayed on the ground.
Stones were all over the road.
The walls were old and wet.

Tola knew this road well.
He walked it every day to work.
He held his shoes when mud was deep.

His mother's house was near the red roof.
He grew up behind that wall.
The pawpaw tree was still there.

People said the road was bad.
Tola said the road was strong.
It never changed for anyone.

Dark, rough and full of water,
But it always took him home.