O, These Mountains So High

O, these mountains so high.
Their peaks in the clouds, already laden with snow.
The white powder sparkling in the sun
As if millions of tiny diamonds.

It begins from their feet, my long upwards trek.
From the dense groupings of evergreen pines
The slopes begin, rising above the plains below.

The clouds hung low in the sky today
Threatening with rain as they hide the sun’s warmth.
Summer is over, the green is gone,
But these rocks are my home and today I shall conquer.

As I ascended these rocky slopes
Winding my way through gorge and glen
I felt the moisture in the air cling to my skin
Like rain that wasn’t falling.

Above the clouds I was duly rewarded
For one peak had I reached, but as I looked up
It was clear that there was still a long path ahead
For these were mountains, too proud to be hidden.

O, these mountains so high.
To most they’d be impassable, but not to me.
I set out again, to climb ever higher
Leaving behind me the world I knew.

But I would ascend, like a king to his throne.
Through trees of yellow, brown, and amber.
No finer crown has ever graced a king
Than one of autumn’s gold.

These rocky cliffs were often dangerous,
So I’d have to find a safer way around.
But I was determined to reach
Their summit before the night.

So higher and higher I went.
The air was thin and cold up here, but refreshing to the lungs.
Until, finally, there was the top.
From my throne I looked around to see nothing but clouds.

The world below was hidden well
Blanketed by billowing clouds, running like water over stone.
But here, finally I stood, the king of the world.
And there I stood alone.

No higher point was there to climb
At last I was at journey’s end.
As I looked at the world beneath my feet
I wondered if there were any to challenge me.

As night came along I received my silent answer.
The twinkling stars decided to mock me from afar
I shook my head and smiled back
For though they are the lords of space
I still remain, undisputed,

The king of the world.