At the Mountains of Madness

My ordinary life -
like the plain stretching across the region of my birth,
has been for the most part
 rather smooth.
Though sometimes on my path, I’d encounter hills,
    they were few and were not difficult 
                  to get over.
One day on my travels when I was still young
   I came across a man who, like a majestic mountain,
  would take my breath away.
He captured my attention completely,
       distracting me from all the normal things
                      my plain life had entailed.
When he smiled, it was as if
         the sun were peeking over him 
                                            in golden splendor.
Madly in love with him I fell,
   and every day I worshiped at the mountain.

This was a short phase in my life -
           a time of pure enchantment but also woe.
I behaved as if I were a stream, a babbling school girl
        murmuring with joy       for a while
                                                            as I meandered
      the mountain’s pleasant aspects,
but one day my meandering came to a halt.
     Coming to a cliff’s edge, I became a waterfall
            frothy with madness as 
                      I plunged
               to the rocks below.
Picking myself up, I had to turn my back
                  to the glorious mountain.
  A final look at him, and I saw the red sun sinking
                       into June’s cool night.
Finding my way back to the plain, I trudged.
At the mountains of madness, I’d known something -
                    something I had foolishly mistaken for love.
Other mountains wait there, for me, for you, 
               for almost anyone who desires to find one.
But since my later summer years and in my fall,
I’ve kept walking on the plain,
                  for it is truly, after all,
                                          my heart  land. 


for the But it was not real Poetry Contest of Lewis Raynes
Copyright © | Year Posted 2016

Poem

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12
Raynes Avatar
May 30, 2016 at 12:11 AM
great write Andrea, congratulations on your win in the contest.... your friend Lewis
Mac Donald Avatar
May 27, 2016 at 1:45 PM
A wonderfully substantial write, Andrea! Perhaps we need to stumble at the mountain to recover our true footing. Great metaphor and imagery depicted here. The 'mountain', the 'cliff' and the 'waterfall', outstanding write.:) Hugs, Mikki
Marcum Wong Avatar
May 25, 2016 at 11:03 PM
Congratulations on your second place win Andrea. I am positive I commented on this poem but don't see it. It is not the first time it has happened. Strange...well deserved win Andrea. ; )
Devnath  Avatar
May 25, 2016 at 2:14 PM
Congrats on your win my lovely friend. Loved always, bl
Grasso Avatar
May 25, 2016 at 11:54 AM
Congratulations on the win Andrea. ...Fran
Smith Avatar
May 25, 2016 at 10:56 AM
Congratulations Andrea, well done...
May Avatar
May 25, 2016 at 7:38 AM
Congrats on a great win Andrea
Misra Avatar
May 24, 2016 at 9:41 PM
So simple and smooth as silk. Fantastic write.Congratulations on your win, Andrea. ~karam~
Salehi Avatar
May 24, 2016 at 8:36 PM
Congratulations Andrea...
Haight Avatar
May 24, 2016 at 4:37 PM
Amazing metaphors and outstanding poem, Andrea. Congrats on your well-deserved podium win! Hugs, Sandra
Hicks Avatar
May 24, 2016 at 3:49 PM
And you said you didn't like weird contest prompts! This was very impressive writing, Andrea ... I was blown away by how you played, and expanded, on those metaphors ... the babbling school girl that became a waterfall << I LOVE it :) I consider it a real treat reading your free-verse, since you mostly share with us rhyming poetry. A fave! Check out my blog and tell me about your poem.
Sietesantos Avatar
May 22, 2016 at 7:24 PM
Andie, I am truly enchanted by this beautiful, powerful piece! You, great poet, just keep leading the way, showing us how it should be done! Hugs. Pandita
Bolton Avatar
May 21, 2016 at 9:32 AM
What a fascinating and wonderful write as you explored the depths of your feelings when love, or rather what you thought was love, entered your life. I have a feeling the majority reading this has been able to associate it with their own lives. Loved it.
Inman Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 10:57 PM
Really great write here Andrea. Your metaphors are beautifully written.
Grasso Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Andrea, thanks for again stopping by and reading more of my stuff. Love to read your comments. And I genuinely appreciate your kindness and help. You and a number of other fine poets on this site have helped bring me much farther in these few months than I thought I could ever achieve. Fran
Grasso Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 12:16 PM
I like the warmth and honesty in this poem. The reader feels very connected to the author while reading. I like the formatting as well. Leading the reader along to the rhythm of the piece. Wonderful piece of work. ...Fran
Teagan Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 12:00 PM
Andrea this is a stunning metaphor of life .... sometimes we want the mountain, but we have to be satisfied with the plains. Simple beautiful, lady.
K. Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 11:50 AM
Hi sweetie! This was really nice how you likened yourself and life to different land masses... it was almost as if you were taking us along with you-- I really enjoyed how you transitioned from one to another, my favorite would be the waterfall part-- it was so nice how you did all that "morphing"--- and then you brought it full circle with your ending-- the plains, are vast, fertile --so much prospect and beauty found there. I really hope this places high in Timothy's contest!
Chansarkar Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 10:14 AM
Ah the lessons of love and hurt,lovely Andrea!
Capitano Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 9:01 AM
Beautiful poem, so hopeful and alive after falling from the mountain (like Russell I have seen my mountain and been felled). I have a poem that is called Mountain, I will post it now. A slightly different perspective.
Sivey Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 6:08 AM
You have written a spectacular piece here Andrea, I really enjoyed reading it! I have seen many Mountains in my life and few plains unfortunately, until the latter years after I met my wife Emma! As for my degree helping me get a raise, they realized that I can work with words now and that I can do more than just IT stuff, I can write information for my company...the material that goes into the websites!. You see my degree is Creative Writing with a specialization in Poetry.
Sivey Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 6:10 AM
So I learned more than just poetry, I learned how to write as well. I studied many books and many different things than just poetry. It was a challenge, but well worth it. My company was impressed with my achievement...it's a hard thing to do, go from a Math and Science mind to an English mind, but I did it!
Trifiatis Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 3:03 AM
What a marvelous writing dear, Andrea! A lesson for the young to profit from. Good luck and a seven!
Callus Avatar
May 19, 2016 at 3:00 AM
This is beautiful, Andrea! I fell in love with your description of young love, the babbling stream which eventually came to an end....a cruel realization, I believe, but an experience which would serve you well in life. ~ Regards // paul
Vaso Avatar
May 18, 2016 at 10:10 PM
I cant quite put my finger on this, but I loved this poem, I think because its poetic and also a story and also because well , well your humble opening hides the fact you are no ordinary woman! You are far above and beyond in my eyes! Hugs
Parmale Avatar
May 18, 2016 at 9:36 PM
Such fun loving smooth write Andrea ...They are so many beautiful mountains around if one escaped you....That's true beauty of life.....A seven
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