High Sierra Topix

Someone smart once said something like the "ego was simply the focus of waking consciousness"

The I is the mountains and the trees and you and me

For me, ego is measured as the space between "I" and "AM"

There exists a secret language of the mountain…Waiting to be read.
Sometimes strange letters are written outsized on angular cliff faces, sculpted prominently, black lines streaking across and over rust-colored granite.
You sporadically glimpse other mythical figures/symbols, either man or nature-printed, scribed into the bark of many older trees, distinct.

There is more to its language too, all quite prominent… really. Notice the weird and wonderful punctuation racing across azure skies – fleeting figures temporarily revealed in the cumulous. Seldom revealing whole sentences, the verbs (action words) are usually reflected back from the waters, the dancing eddies, purples and browns, golds and silver flecks. Glacier-polished walls provide the framework upon where the words are written. Waterfalls stand out like neon signs, the whites demanding attention. The shadows provide the contrast and the Alpenglow, the moving lines racing up the cliffs at sunset; expose themselves as yet another dialect…yes, there is much to translate. Over time, an experienced woodsman learns to recognize the letters; soon assembles them into words, and finally discovers the complex sentences blatant, once impossible to fathom, now, for a select few, becoming clear - able to be read easily.

A problem arises when new visitors try to read these clues without taking due time…not realizing that it takes years to be able to decipher the subtle letters written…Decades more to learn how to read the text. The mountain tells a long-term tale where individual wants are meaningless, schedules are fleeting, and days are but pointless pauses to a more complex theme.

Many make the mistake of inserting personal agendas into the mountain’s plot line: big mistake. The mountain only dictates the story and seldom listens… to anyone. The mountain cares nothing about egos or individual wants. The mountain writes the story, is the story, and will always be the story, not the other way around. The mountain is the host, sets the rules, and usually gives freely. It makes its own weather, reveals its glories, (sometimes openly, other times begrudgingly), and occasionally takes lives. It is the best of all stories, and sometimes the worst too.

Markskor wrote,

The mountain writes the story, is the story, and will always be the story, not the other way around. The mountain is the host, sets the rules, and usually gives freely. It makes its own weather, reveals its glories, (sometimes openly, other times begrudgingly), and occasionally takes lives. It the best of all stories, and sometimes the worst too.

So very very true.

I get the feeling that some of you "guys" do not like the author of the essay. The essay's subject is not about "listening" to the mountains or not. It is simply an essay on how one young person feels after being on a long through-hike and then it ends. She loves being outside more than having the trappings of civilization. I do not see what is so objectionable to that. A bit naïve? Maybe, but it captures the spirit of a young person. Well, at least I think most PCT hikers are "young" compared to me! We old geezers probably have forgotten about being young. It is not an essay that one of us probably would write, after completing the PCT, if any of us are even capable of doing that any more. This person, who loves being outside, will over time, come to communicate with the mountains as you have described. But that is not the point of this essay at this time.

As for the "I" repetitive component. That is poetry - you use what you need to convey your feelings. Rules need not apply.

I find a lot of the criticism arrogant and elitist. I think it more appropriate if you start another thread on the philosophy of wilderness experiences, if that is what you wish to discuss.

To me anyways, this poem explains the feeling “I” get when making the inevitable transition back into society after a long trip. With my longest being only 3 weeks, a long thru hike like the PCT or any of the others would definitely be a rough transition. I personally go out into nature to detox myself from all the spoils of this modern day mess we have created for ourselves, but that's just my take on it all and we have are own opinions. So I guess we all have our own way of reading & writing thing's and can hopefully agree to disagree. It sure would be a boring planet if we all agreed on everything and didn't do things our own way anyways. "I" am going to cook my dinner outside tonight...

(I) Pretty much hope we're done with poetry critique. I Did that in the 11th grade in AP English and, um.. hard to change now.

Anyway, This "poem" expresses a feeling. nice. but, there would be better ways to express that other than the repetitive approach. I does become annoying, regardless of the post-trail sep implications.

I don't think people here are so much elitist. They know what they like and what works, and some actually teach.

I liked the thought but not the delivery.

If someone takes a photo, why try to change it to ones own liking, accept it for what it is and be thankful.

When someone posts a picture, that is one thing, but if someone posts and then asks if you can relate...(see OP)
and you are a long-time teacher who sees this type of writing daily...
Well, WD did request feedback.

Is it that only positive agreement is thus allowed or if not, labeled an Elitist?

Much like, "You know what I mean?", like, like, "You know what I'm saying?
All these are heard daily in the classroom too...young people's idioms...still not good (prose or) Poetry?

Sorry Mark, I really don't come here to argue. In my first post, I didn't ask if you can relate, I merely said, (It kinda hit home and I figured some of you could relate). So I must have figured wrong, no big deal. So I'm not a Literate scholar, in fact, I barely made it out of high school. Sorry, I had to go to work early, that's just life, and I learned plenty over the 49+ years on this planet.
I guess I must still be young at heart for my choice in what I perceive is a good read. I'm ok with that because I don't really go for the rules that mainstream society has put on itself. I tend to lean towards accepting everyone the way they are and not the way we should be, no matter what age.
So before we waste any more time pointing out other persons so called short comings, lets just enjoy it for what it is. Or better yet, maybe you could do better?????