Climber

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