Sometimes,
I scale shear cliffs:
Carefully
monitoring each move
hand here,
foot over there.
Sweat rolls into my eyes
as I assess my next move
with good intentions
trying not to look down
or to consider
that down even exists.
Therefore…
I can not fall!
I can not fail!
A loose rock occasionally slips out
and falls into silent descent
never to be heard from again.
I just keep moving
ignoring the signs;
signs of imminent defeat.
Looking up,
I see my goal
and every time I would take a step,
make a move,
pull myself higher and higher,
the goal would manifest itself further and further away
until it seems I am climbing
a rock faced treadmill
losing ground!
My fingers become slippery,
my shoes wear thin,
my muscles begin to cramp,
and I can no longer breath.
Remaining in one spot, I hold on with all that I have
hoping for some miracle…
a burst of energy
that would launch me to the top.
Eventually though,
I lose my grip and perpetually
I fall into silent descent.
And no one ever notices I’m gone.