walk those miles and miles

his whole demeanor shouted weary
still he clung to the little strength he had
something pushed him to go on and on
he arrived into a deadly calm village,

Is there anybody there?" said the traveller,
knocking on a moonlit door
his hands fluttered from lace cuffs
casting long shadows on the floor

while he waited for the door to open,
he heard a tiny voice crying from inside
when he broke open the door
he found the entire family lost to the plague

with only the baby being spared
hastily he picked her up, her cries stopped.
within the warmth of his coat
she fell asleep just as soon

when he walked out of that village
after two days, he was no stranger
to the villagers, nor the infant
now sleeping peacefully in his arms

"many a times, the unknown shows us the purpose of living"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is there anybody there?" said the Traveller,
Knocking on the moonlit door"

are the opening lines of the poem The Listeners by Walter de la Mare