i walk the earth mountain road
long and narrow the forest

hearing of this i live now
cut a stick to hold in hand

stand and see the foggy sky
on salt ledge stop and lie

the cloud spits on the mountain
like thick smoke on the tree tops

a cold wind blows stabs to freeze
rubbing wet with itching knees

over rivers lakes and seas
snaking red and left and right

hunt this day clawing the fight
snow and ice two feet of white

pushing through sharp at the knife
feet like stone the dull black night

no moon's laugh or star to sing
fear to sleep flower to fling

vomit pull if liver fall
down the sandstone ridge to bite





2.7 9/7
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    rhyme