there are some who wonder why we’d do this
see only hardship, feel the weight of the bags
dislike the idea of sore feet, overlook or just don’t know
the way some things make me

…………………………feel alive

discover the truth of rock and bog
and wind that cannot be told in maps
lose sense of time and self

find a rhythm inside that is shaped by land
the pleasure of warm simple food
two cups of tea from the one teabag

all things paired down
excess discarded
there is no room for wanting
when you know you have just enough

in the absence of wanting more
comes the presence of being here

 

The walk linking the seven trees of The Long View took seven days in midsummer 2016. More about it here. This poem arose on Day 6 at noon and, like most of my notes, was first written on my smart phone.