Above All Things Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

You climb the mountain to the top,
as perspiration slowly freezes.
Inside your chest your heart screams STOP,
you stand there, swaying in the breezes.

Down in the valley you see houses
and veggie gardens, a small river,
emotion tugs and soon arouses
there, on the summit, a quick shiver.

You wonder why you've climbed the mountain,
left sacred beauty far below.
You could have stayed there, by the fountain,
and, as they say, go with the flow.

Perhaps you could not really see
while in the midst of your routine,
its treasures. Thus the need to flee
into the distant mountain scene.

So stay a while, enjoy the sight
and if the spirits move you to
start your descent while there is light,
accompanied by mountain dew.

And when you've settled in the fold
your thoughts go back to when you stood
above all things, up in the cold,
and, for a moment, it felt good.