Mountain

Photo‐Essay:ChrisShort

Thesnow’sgone,replacedbygray.Inplaces,bitsofbrighticeremain,butnotenoughtomatter.Drizzlejoinstheskytothepeaks,sometimesdowntothefoothills.It’sthesebitsthatmattermosttome:

whereonethingbecomeslostintheother.

AsIclimb,it’snotjustthemountainsthatgetlostintheclouds.It’smethatgetslostinitall.I’mstillawareofme,themountainandtheclouds,ofcourse,butIbecomelessaware.Somepain,someexhaustion.Buttherocksmeetmyfootsteps,themoistureintheairwrapsmyface,andIamformedbythem,andIbecomethem.

Steepcliffsappearandvertigobeckons–themountainthreatenstoconsumeme.Theviolentcurrentsofthemountainriversseemtodothesame.Excitementandterroratonce.IfIjump,myfatewillhavebeenmet.

Allwillhavebecomeone.

Mountain©ChrisShort,2011.Allrightsremainwiththeauthor.Nopartofthisessaycanbereproducedwithoutwrittenpermissionoftheauthor.