Up and up we climbed scorched
by the white sun scorching the dust
beneath our feet losing ground
where the trail grew steep
and cursing our lack of progress
when it leveled out into
a series of pine-darkened switchbacks
climbing up and up the ridge
losing all the sharp edges
in air so thin we forgot ourselves
or almost our water grew warm
and soon ran out but we continued
toward a bank of clouds
just out of reach and once
we fell exhausted splayed
across the trail so narrow at times
two people could not pass
then growing so wide we laughed
in relief sweat rivulets tattooed
our grimy faces and the lake expanded
a mirage luring us backwards
silent but for breath ragged burning
and then a bend and suddenly
(c) 2020 by Hannah Six
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