It’s white in March, rising high above the valley,
Ten thousand feet, pointing heavenward,
Symbol of the upward path we all must tread—
And we climbed together in our youth,
The mountain steep, the trail unsure;
But intuition was clear, our hearts were strong,
And the summit was certain.

And passion’s power oft beguiled,
The sweetness of beauty clouded our sight,
And too we dallied along the way--
But the firmness of friendship, the certainty of service
Made all things right; and early days
Are bright, and full, and long. All was learning;
All had meaning; the path lead ever upward.

Now here we stand, not yet old, but youth long gone,
Lives lived fully, roots and branches much entwined;
We’ve loved much, sipped bitter disillusionment,
Struggled both on the mount and down below,
But focused ever on an inner truth--
Veracity long shared--teachers, shepherds, guardians
Of a dream we knew and strived to live so well.

White in March, rising high above the valley floor,
Ten thousand feet, pointing heavenward,
A symbol of the path we all should tread,
But we shall not stand upon that summit again;
Others now with younger hearts must continue
The assent; wiser no doubt, stronger certainly from
We who saw the vision and faithfully walked before.

03/17/2017

Author's Note: For Tom and Delose of the BSA.

Posted on 03/17/2017
Copyright © 2024 Leonard M Hawkes