A red leaf falls Something rustles In the undergrowth. A wind waves in the tree tops. Red shoes crunch and scratch, Climb, stretch, step. Chic-a-dee skips on a branch ahead. Cheep, hop, cheep-cheep, hop Pebble bounces down. This road only goes up I keep climbing But from what? Nothing to escape from. Nothing to escape to. The hope of majesty drives me, Keeps me moving. Over stone, under branch Through the brush Brambles scratches and pull.

A brown leaf falls

The rush of senses new Heavy breath Suck and blow Inhale, hold Hold Hold Release! Wonderful rush. Smell... wood and fall, Wet and soil, Brilliant stabs of light through foliage. This immaculate beauty Is everywhere all at once. Overwhelming. Synapses forming with Each breath. Each thought. Never more important than as a beard grows grey. The world is vast I will never stop Unless it stops me.

A yellow leaf falls

This was a piece I wrote after a long morning hike on a road trip in 2022. We had camped overnight and while my wife slept, I got up early and explored the surrounding hills. Which just went up up up. It was good for me, though. I had a lot of thinking to do that day and the effort was cathartic.

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take it all in #story #travel #poetry

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