Night in the Gila | |
The last glow of sunset fades from the sky I gather my gear and shoulder my pack For the long trek in the dark back to camp
Gravel and pine needles Crunch beneath my boots One step at a time into the night My light and the stars showing the way
The breath of wind in the pines fades to still Its cold here up high as the mercury falls Something different about this walk Tickles in the back of my mind
Long walks in the dark are nothing new to me A natural part of the fall ritual of the hunt But most of my treks have been far to the south Where even in winter mice chirp, crickets sing
So I stop I listen Turn off my light Soak it all in
And unlike previous walks, I find something new It’s the smallest of things, precious nonetheless As any new experience is For I’ve found in the stillness of night
That all is silent in the winter on this mountain
2/26/10
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