He came upon me like a ghost,
a wisp of wind along the trail,
but how he startled me the most
by looking anything but frail.
Ascending, strong and agile,
one part bear, one a weathered fox,
he thundered past with a smile,
a panther pouncing on the rocks.
I was caught looking at my phone,
stopped there, just shy of the summit,
believing I was all alone,
my spirit about to plummet.
“Sorry,” he said, with a wry smirk,
“didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
Feeling spotted amongst the birks,
I explained, just to give him proof.
“Got this video from a friend,”
I said, showing Exhibit A.
And he laughed—no point to pretend—
no mystery how this song played.
“Yep, tough to get away from those.”
As true as anything I’ve heard.
But when I asked what else he knows,
he disappeared without a word.
— ❧ —
Poems From the Trail
Most of the time, when I’m out hiking by myself, the beginnings of a poem emerge in my mind. I never really go looking for them, but when the endorphins start to hit, a line typically pops into my head that I can play with. This poem didn’t come that way.
Sometimes the interactions we have on the trail are all we need to shift our focus.
>This poem is part of a growing collection at In Verse. Enjoy!