**the Mail Runner (Courier Service) Poem by RAJ NANDY

THE MAIL RUNNERS!
(COURIER SERVICE)

The Inca Empire during their hey-days, *
Controlled a large empire of an elongated
shape!
On the western coast of Latin America, all
the way from parts of Ecuador and Colombia!
With parts of Brazil in the east;
Including Chile and Bolivia in the south and
south-east!
While the Pacific Ocean washed their long
western beach!
Where the Andes range like a raised spine, -
appeared out of reach!
Yet on the central verge of this Andes’ range,
Was located their capital Cuzco with its defense!

The Incas had no horses or wheels to facilitate
communication,
But had an efficient courier service within their
nation!
They relied entirely on their ‘chasquis’, - those
valiant mail runners,
For sending messages within the Inca Empire!
These runners ran on that historic ‘Inca trail’,
Crossing gorges(pogos) and mountain tracks, -
before night fell!
And rested at ‘tambos’** during their segmented
race!
Those Incas had no written scripts those days,
And used knots in ropes as coded messages!
These ‘quipus’ at relay stations changed hands,
With their runners taking them to the remotes
corners of the Inca land!
Their suspension bridges with ropes indigenously
made,
Formed their roadways as their empire spread!
And those bridges were maintained every year,
By villagers rendering public service to the Inca
Empire!
Those valiant runners could run in a day, a distance
of 250 miles as experts say;
And could put to shame the Marathon runners of
our day!

I salute those sturdy Incas for their unique stone
architectures,
Who honored their Gods and their ancestors!
Their ‘chasquis’, those valiant mail runners and
their nimble feet;
Without horses and wheels the Incas had an Empire
at their feet!
-Raj Nandy
New Delhi
16 May 09
* During the fifteenth century Incas were at height of
their power!
**Tambos’= relay stations - for the mail runner (chasqui)
to rest and handover the ‘quipu’ containing coded
messages to the next runner - to follow the Inca trail!