POETRY

I keep climbing mountains

(that aren’t mine)

Image by Mohammad Omar Siddiqui from Pixabay

For months, I hiked a mountain
I didn’t want to climb,
conscious of stares
from ahead and behind
asking, why haven’t I tried?
And so, I swallowed time,
set my hills and hurdles aside
in exchange for a mountain
that wasn’t mine.
When I reached its peak
I looked for cheer and praise
but I was left to pat my own back.
For who would stay just to watch…