The cliff rises in front of me,
Red iron minerals soaked into the rocks.
My hands ache from the climbing
And my body begs me to not stop.
My soul feels enlightened from all I have already seen.
The rushing river that now courses far bellow me.
This is the adventure I have craved for so long,
I can’t wait to reach the top
And see how far I have gone.

I reach up to put my hand on the stone,
Suddenly the sound of the alarm screeches into my bones
My dream is all gone
And all has been undone.
My tired hand puts a stop to the noise,
And my tired mind tries to regain some poise.
My dream is fading,
What was once bright is now gone.
But now I know what I want
And how I will go on.
-ALC March 23, 2017