Into the Wilderness

Following a paved and man-made road,

we travel deep into the heart

of the granite mountain.

Endless streams and towering pine,

wave us forward

like arctic explorers.

Gnarled oaks grow

from a whisper of ferns

that hide the animal trail.

We are in search of

an abandoned gold mine,

left by the wild.

Fear, we’ve traded

to hear

the eloquence of nature.

The dog forges ahead

revealing the path

between words

and basic understanding.

Hiking boots on unmarked trails,

survival gear, water bottle and bowl,

carried on a strap.

Bring it on,

we are on our own

up here,

and we have what we need.

We hike among lakes

that reflect the cobalt blue

and cloudless sky.

A mix of conifer

orchestrate the shoreline,

composing boulders

that dropped down

from ancient times.

Pristine and undisturbed,

the wilderness

is endless,

and my breath

goes on forever.

There is gold in the mountain

and we find it.

Those who wander

find treasure

at the center of Time.