Preparatory Glance
Clouds gather as we ascend into quiet
smell shaken solitude form of forest,
Abbot Pass above a thinner waft
named for man dead, fallen,
first among these rugged mountains.
Sinner, the snow still clings to scree,
gaiters and helmets galvanized
feet reach for ridge,
a ridge your reckless body renewed, now
ours lethargic placate into hut risen
for your parable name.
Into the clouds ghostly grave Lefroy,
trespassed snow from climbers passed,
reminder your failed ascent.
Secondary One
Sleep night numbly
first awake in barren eyes,
minute our bodies burdened,
rain preparation necessary, lace Gore-Tex.
Dark morning night
clouds capture stars sightless,
rocks dribble sound until snow encroaches;
we rest, rest, rise into form
cradle crampons arched to feet,
fumble with rope and new fashioned harnesses
dig into trespassers’ path, dug by climbers passed,
flake pellets fall lightly.
Steep the snow weighted ice,
silent steps into mist clouds trail,
body as one vertical slanting slope.
Storm clouds thunder,
distant storm come beckon our return,
futile exposed electric lightening passage, elusive.
Peripheral Thought
And there was God
stars we could not see cloud enfoldment
And there was God
thunder labour altitude attuned sinless
And there was God
crampon fallforever into hand
And there was God
dream numb reality precocious near
And there was God
rock whisper echo echo echo the ghosts who came before.
