Skip to content
Menu
wandering matt
  • Book: 4000s by 40
  • 4000s by 40 Gallery
  • NH Hikes & Peak Lists
  • In the Mountains
  • In Nature
  • In Writing
  • In Verse
  • In Health
  • In Life
  • About Matt
  • Seekers Bookshop
  • Home
wandering matt
muddy boots

American Myopia

Posted on November 13, 2025November 13, 2025

the eighties are gone
the nineties are gone
what are we so afraid of?

we try so hard to box out
what now is, from what was
hoping rhetoric can change reality

hoping lakes still freeze like they used to
hoping fires don’t burn more than they did
wishing away the rising heat

and rising, a zoo of millions
singing songs of joy or lament
some ugly, some apoplectic, some hurt

some believing a new day has dawned
some believing the end is nigh
all missing each other in the subtext

all raising the question:
if our eyes can’t see past our own two feet,
how will we ever know where two trails meet?

— ❧ —

Poetry Corner

In the current political and social climate, it seems like one of the great ironies is that in a sea of mass communication, we seem to be hearing each other less and less. Echo chambers. Vitriol. The more tools we have “to help,” the more they seem to hurt. American Myopia is a call for partnership and a willingness to see beyond our own world view.

If you’re a poetry hound, come on over to In Verse and say hi.

Share this:

  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • More
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn

Related

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

4000s by 40 3D Cover

Love the mountains? 4000s by 40 is a story of missteps, hard-earned lessons, and the mountains that shape us.
[Find it here]

Thanks for visiting! For daily content, head over to my Substack and hit subscribe. Rather have less in your inbox? You can subscribe to the newsletter here on the site to get occasional updates on upcoming books and stories from the trail.

WELCOME! THANKS FOR SIGNING UP! LOOK IN YOUR INBOX FOR A CONFIRMATION EMAIL...

SITE SEARCH

If you're looking for something specific, explore the site. Search on any word, mountain, etc., to see if you can find what you are looking for:

Search Bar

LATEST WANDERINGS

  • May 19, 2026 by Matt Larson Mount Tecumseh and the Thundering Herd
  • May 17, 2026 by Matt Larson Triggered by Chiggers
  • May 11, 2026 by Matt Larson Pack Attack: A Mother's Day Hike Up Pack Monadnock
  • May 6, 2026 by Matt Larson 'Tis a Steep Climb Up Cannon Mountain
  • May 5, 2026 by Matt Larson It's Still Winter in the Mountains
  • April 30, 2026 by Matt Larson Entering Wide-Brimmed Hat Territory
  • April 22, 2026 by Matt Larson Tread Carefully Out There This Spring
  • April 20, 2026 by Matt Larson Hiking in the Rain: It's a Shell Game

Wandering Matt On…

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Goodreads
©2026 wandering matt | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes.com