i exist in a beautiful expanse of history

thousands have been here before

thousands are yet to walk past

but like the aged magnificence, i am left for lonely

abandoned, the only company my wandering mind

and the endless structures of stone

no architected mouths for them to speak

the knowledge they gained from years as backgrounds for great men

ignored except for a glance and fleeting thought

i disappear into the stone

an observer unable to cry out

when the world becomes too busy to hear my small voice

and as the moment draws near and then passes by

i find that my senses had led me astray

my stone comrade held a secret

one that i had to simply let myself know

in this place with a past i was far from lonely

accompanied by the thoughts

left there by men of different times

who had sat under this arch and thought they were alone