A man arrived at my door this morning
He came bearing the seal of the high king
And told me that he was building a road
Of which, he said, would span the continent
***
"Trade and splendor, prosperity for all!"
He claimed that this road would be glorious
And all would know it, and all would prosper
There would be neither miserly nor poor
***
"But," he said, "this road requires sacrifice
Your home here stands on the path to progress
Your wealth, a needed price to build the road
And so, sacrifice yourself for us all."
***
He look at me with eyes of great fervor
And said, "for just one petty injustice
There would then be total justice for all."
And then, he burned my home and robbed me
***
The house blazed; the money stolen away
The family heirlooms sold or smelted
And the road was built on the charred ruins
And it was paved with my family's gold
***
I cursed him and the king and the people
I swore that their road would fail and crumble
I promised their paradise would be lost
Their roads would never connect anyone
***
I broke their roads and made them into walls.