slick sliding slope
the steepness carrying all before it
nothing to rest on, nowhere
to rest

so easy to slip
down

and I cried
and I cried

for fear,
for love of this life,
for humility and the reminder that
my breath is tenuous, and
your breath is tenuous.

our soft skin,
soft bone, so easily crushed
by sliding rock, careening rock,
rock and tumbling rock.

I look up that chute and I see
just how steep it was.
and my heart falters –
my throat closes off, the
tightness in my chest
returns.

the grip of it is real.
the mountains have blessed me
with fear, and with gratitude –

to be alive, to hold
this earth in my hands,
sit on her back
swim in her cool waters
and refresh my soul
into the clarity of
tears and lovemaking.

I’ll take this moment,
and these mountains.
And I’ll take the fear,
and the wash of gratitude.

I’ll take the long way around,
the slow descent
of my body
calming
wave by wave,
moment
by moment.

I’ll take the long goodbye
and the hopefully long
here of hello,
the meeting of body
and earth.