Mountain Medicine

author’s note:

A poem previously posted and recently revised.  A poem for a friend who has moved on.


MOUNTAIN MEDICINE

Thank you for climbing
that mountain and planting
a flag and a tree.

I thought that mountain
was a hill--from where I stood
the climb did not look
so steep.   You warned me--

but I could not feel the pain
you felt--I had difficulty enough
just feeling what I felt.

Perhaps I was tricked
by seeing how quickly
you ascended.  Sometimes I think
you were born halfway up
that mountainside.

Whereas I started at the foot,
or even below--in a hole.

We have different ways--
as is necessary--but still
all paths have thorns
and death--

so your instructions
have been helpful--when I remember them
(though even then
  I often have trouble swallowing
  the truth).

But rest assured:
I’ve resolved to keep the medicine
you vesseled for us

and to add a few drops
of my own.

© 2008, Michael R. Patton
shameless self-promotion