The ladder is so simple.
It is used
to climb
to see the heavens.

The ladder is so simple.
With a grasp of its outer shell
Man
can
slip
                       away
without
a
sound.

The ladder is so simple.
But it requires such effort to move upwards
Each rung requires a jump from the previous.
A leap of faith-
Ending in the starting place with no new vertical accomplishments
OR
Continuing with a crash on the next, elevated rung,
Repeating the process once again.

                Then there’s the other option.
                To grasp the sides of the ladder when man has finished climbing,
                Slinking, slithering down the smooth sides of the legs
                Where you smack the bottom.

The ladder is so simple.
It’s easy for man to climb.
Each rung is a new goal to reach.
There’s a constant need to land on top
like a nobleman chasing the crown.

               The hard part is saying goodbye to the heights achieved.
               “Are the rungs pointless if man should pass them all coming back                        down?”
“Are the leaps of faith worth the energy in the end?”
But the hardest question of all-

*“When does man know to sink?”