If you go far enough into the mountains
They will close around you
bewitch you like a ring—
the one you wear or wore or will wear
to remind you of faith love loyalty—
the vague promises of youth.
They will take you in whole,
larger than life, a legend of your dreams
the spring of self and joy in your feet
belief of forever warm in your belly
a smell like daffodils leading you further
toward the highest—the ram-gamboled—
rocky, wisp wreathed planes.

If you go far enough, as few do—
If you step past the last wire’s barb,
past the jeep track that runnels away,
while others peek through shuttered gaps
at the bruised sky swinging an arm against them,
grinding their knees gritty in belief
that knees will shape a twisted wind’s pity—

If you go far enough into the wild
you will pass milk river
which…