R.A.D.
A wrought iron arch looms above
the tangled underbrush
and the gnarled vegetation that grasps it
in a strangely contorted embrace.
Rusted now, but still gleaming
with a soft patina, the metal glints
in the afternoon sun.
Intricate letters form “R.A.D” –
a declaration of power,
long gone now;
a presence of authority and prestige
like the visage of Ozymandias
abandoned in a vast and twisted
wilderness of green.
A wrought iron arch looms above
the tangled underbrush
and the gnarled vegetation that grasps it
in a strangely contorted embrace.
Rusted now, but still gleaming
with a soft patina, the metal glints
in the afternoon sun.
Intricate letters form “R.A.D” –
a declaration of power,
long gone now;
a presence of authority and prestige
like the visage of Ozymandias
abandoned in a vast and twisted
wilderness of green.
The "R.A.D" sign appears to be an abandoned gateway to a ranch that no longer exists. The vegetation has reclaimed the road that once welcomed visitors through this gate. I tried to research the letters to figure out what the letters referred to, but I found very little. There are archways like this one throughout The Piney Woods -- some for operating ranches, both old and new, and some for ranches that have been abandoned or sold off in parcels. Each time I pass this gateway, I feel sad for what once was and curious to know who lived there.
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