Once

 

Once 

 

Once my world was dotted

with endless hills,

and I climbed, or skipped, or ran, confident

barefoot, or booted, flip-flopped sure-footed

and if I slipped, the worst was a grazed knee

or a bit of a bruised heart – if an obstacle

appeared – a jagged rock or loosening purchase

the earth was my friend – digging in hand-holds

or toe-touches – or walk abouts – I climbed on - safely

surely, always – onward – convinced in my clear

anticipation of the always achieved acme – 

daisies under blue skies - a flat place to sit for a while –

and when rested –refreshed -revitalized – renewed –

I’d stretch, stand, limbs loose and long, atop that hill –

breathe fresh air and survey the view –

the endless panorama of hill after verdant hill

awaiting me….

 

Now, in surreality I walk a flat landscape – 

 slopeless spreading toward an ever approaching horizon

yearning to believe that beyond lay fields of daisied dominion

searching

for

one

more

hill

to 

be