Section 1: Text 4

Text four is a poem. Refer to the animation for questions 46-50. They are based on the following text.

There is a road - poetry

There is a road.
A winding road stretched towards the shadows of huge mountains.

On this road there are lines.
Short yellow lines blurred into an Ouroboros* snake.

Around this road there is landscape.
A landscape unchanged, still amongst the hectic motion.

Above this road there is sky.
An endless blue abyss* that swallows all within its spherical embrace.

And there is pain.
A pain that shoots and sparks up legs and down arms.

And there is sweat.
Salty tears that weep from hot skin.

And there is thirst
A drought so parched that water slides off dry mouths.

And there is doubt
A skipping CD repeating the same phrase, It's a long way home, It's a long way home, It's a long way home...

Now here's a wall.
A fence to climb, a barrier to break through.

Now here's a feeling
An underwater-feeling, cocooned safely in a bubble.

Now here's symmetry.
The wheels move the body as the body moves the wheels.

Now here's nirvana.*
A meditative release from soul crushing pain, from conscience, the click-clack of pedals and the whiz of passing oxygen remain.

There is a road.
A winding road stretched towards known and unknown destinations.

On this road there are lines.
Short yellow lines that blur into one long forward-pointing arrow.

Around this road there is landscape.
A landscape that doesn't change, noticed only when the wheels stop turning.

Above this road is sky