The Date

Today we walked in nature.
Felt the strain of lungs and muscles,
As we climbed.
Looked down into a cavernous ravine.
Watched fast moving water swirl and boil over rocks,
And heard its cry.
Were scratched and bruised by vegetation.
Listened for the waterfall.
Climbed down the precipice tentatively.
Slid on scree.
Hopped from Boulder to boulder.
And scrabbled.
Sat beneath a gum and ate a picnic.
Drank cool, unadulterated and dynamic water.
Shed our material skins and dived.
Felt the shock of sudden coolness.
Defied gravity and floated downstream.
Cleaned sand-clad feet, to put on socks.
Climbed again.
Wiped sweat from above our lips,
And felt it drizzle down our backs.
Saw smiles.
Felt the satisfaction of our own healthy bodies.
The perfect way to spend a day.

Sleeping on a Mountain Top

The climb was hard,
Leg numbing, chest burning, hard.
And all the more dangerous,
For being executed in moonlight.
Although like midnight, the top would inevitably arrive,
It was a most longed for object.
The promise of rest was all that guaranteed progress.
The stops became more frequent and the rocky inclines
More treacherous and steep.
At last it was achieved,
And among the rocks, on uneven ground,
The tent was erected.
Sweat soaked body became chilled,
And gratefully accepted the warmth of the sleeping bag.
Despite the chill and the rocky bedfellows,
Sleep was as unpolluted as the fresh crystal air of the clear night.
Unmolested by any discordant cacophony of thoughts.
Perhaps being physically closer to heaven,
Sets the mind above the incessant buzz. 

Climbing Mountains

Sometimes,
You feel the stronge urge to escape.
When a mountain top calls to your soul.
It is not a loud voice,
Yet you hear it,
Deep in the confines of your chest.
Your lungs crave cool, clean air.
Your nose, the scent of Eucalyptus.

The track winds upwards,
You are always looking ahead.
Up, up, up.
Your stride is brisk at first.
Fatigue soon drags at your limbs,
Your breath gets shorter,
Steps become more laboured.

Your will expectant, but flagging.
Eventually, the peak sneaks up,
Quietly.

Effort is rewarded.
Hear your pounding heart.
Feel the stress lift.
Aching legs and shoulders,
Give way to relaxation.
You are now above the hub-bub and strains of the everyday.