Climber
by Odin Roark

Reality readied its chance

Ascent of an alpine face
Traversing ice and cold
Challenging steel axe and rope
Such was the pulsating vibration
Facing another dawn

That day
Blade and ice danced slow motion
Penetrating deep into resistance
Echoing through layered centuries
Awakening nature to its presence

Breath became reserved
High altitude remained merciless
Snow-blind eyes squinted thankfully
As yards became feet
Became inches
Became respect for the unknown

Frozen feet
Cinched tight inside
Defiant crampons
Numbly impelled their serrated spikes

The blue iced chorus groaned displeasure
Reminding auger-encroachment
Frozen time was forever resilient

Destiny prevailed

Mortality hung suspended
As will over apathy
Courage over defeat
Found fear had been conquered

Life’s architecture
Like da Vinci ’s Vitruvian Man
Became a frozen tapestry
Life’s proportions
Past
Future
Present
Coalesced
Transformed
Became…

Some might say such a tale
Mere envisages
Penned into a journal
To bide some time

This night however…

The mountain-wall’s next attempt
Huddled in a tent weathering sub-zero temperatures
Sipped tea from his father’s battered cup
A legacy found long ago
Floating atop glacial runoff

Through the night
Ink continued flowing
Tin cup foreshadowing remained warm
First light neared