ROPED INTO HISTORY
ROPED INTO HISTORY
Dotted across Burma are these bridges,
On which many a story hinges.
The ropes are a testimony to the fact,
That history has been written on its tracks.
They suspend mid-air over rivers and ditches,
Offering their hardy knots as the only crutches.
Swinging mid-air during the crossing,
Gives an altogether different meaning to bridge walking.
On these bridges, the soldiers trooped,
When they on Burma in their war-crazed days swooped.
These bridges also feature in the narrative of yore,
Of prisoners-of-war ‘Death Railway’ lore.
These rope suspensions were the entry point into Burma heartland,
A country strategic to the warring sides if they had to attack as planned.
Stealth and cunning they used to their advantage,
And noiselessly slithered over the thick chords with their treacherous baggage.
Today these bridges offer thrills and adrenaline rush,
Death-defying, they do your fear crush.
For the strong-hearted, this is one more adventure,
The rope bridges have now in this fascinating world ventured.