A road-less land, it waited desolate
For Romans, but none came.
A native engineer designed
A highway out of steel, in sections,
A ramrod laid across the land.
The road was ready now,
But it was shunned
By all but soldiers.
Straight across the land they marched,
The Roman soldiers.
Ananta Madhavan
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/power-highway/