Far away up a paved street
to a dirt trail
to a path
off road
and then by foot
by a mountain
and under the sun
heaven
and star.

It wasn’t snowing then,
but cold enough to frost your breath.
We never turned around,
none of us turned,
but if one of us had
we would have seen straight out
across the plain 10,000 feet below
and straight on to infinity.
we would have seen the farmers
and the cities,
peace and tranquility,
hope and civilization.
But none of us turned around.