Himalayan High

She found a job near Annapurna and when she trekked around a turn It was like walking into a wall of beauty, awesome like a burn It sometimes stopped her cold; this display words could not surpass: Alpenglow on distant peaks, flags on a mountain pass. Her ancestors lived by Polish rivers, but none were like Dudh Koshi From Glacial Lakes on Everest and eventually to the sea. A torrent crashing down, sometimes turquoise, sometimes white Slowly weaving through dense forests at Nepal's lower height. Get up early at Kala Patthar, witness Everest catch the sun: Its light chases over the lakes and on the ridges runs. Paraglide off Pokhara, see dawn mountains pink and gold: Bright greens of forests, rhododendron blooms unfold Cross Mountain rivers: the bridges sway like cradled dreams, Ski the slopes in Auli, or row on quiet streams. You can see the highest mountains mirrored inside the highest lakes Look up at the clouds pierced by peaks, the patterns nature makes. In Spiti’s stark embrace, stars hush all petty human talk, Past Khardung La’s high pass, desert camels softly walk. Dharamshala’s pines and meadows whisper in your heart, Yet after a vacation spent in awe, you know you must depart. Some trek here after wars they fought, or before new roles begin, Some come from countries flooded with crime, their leaders do them in. I'm pessimistic; on our future I'd hate to bet I feel a sword hangs overhead, but we just don't know it yet But this is a place you can remember, before fate hits the fan Just don't drive on the roads don't breathe the dust, make sure to have a plan. And as you climb to basecamp, here's another reason why From real to metaphoric, you can use a Himalayan High.