We walk uphill
almost parallel  
with the sky

but like all our other
adventures

we are out
to conquer different things

mine is to take this hill
one paced but ragged

breath upon breath
foot over foot
to plant my flag

yours is to shutter
to and fro

distilling object
place and time
and what is now

into an orderly
chronicle of us

Whit Howland © 2019