FF16: Himalaya
--
Winter bores into bone in the deep early
night’s thin shell beaked through by a knock on wood
breath turned visible we emerge
from cocoons a little less beautiful
everything is slow and muted
the frozen air drugs time slurs motion
A stumble to the toilet
the porcelain slick with ice
fumbling through layers
hands thick with gloves and cold and sleep
we are still inside ourselves
locked in by mountain clothes and dark mists
A hand plunges through an ice crust
water scooped up from a blue plastic barrel
begins to warm over a few burning coals
we’ve been told its there
felt its presence for days
now so close
The first glimpse is like a de-railing
the geography of the last two days
now re-wrought by this unveiling
a kingdom, a crown, a mystery part-found
its arc and beauty take my breath away
and rewind history
A boy in his room and a poster on a wall
an image of a rare anywhere
something great and untouchable
adventure’s scale made impossible
yet it is before me now
not close, but close enough to feel its long breath
and hear its deep call
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