Scale a Mountain

A Trolaan about determination.

The mountaineer defies the law

that Newton brought to light;
the struggle is both tooth and claw
transcending noble height.

He inches up the mountain's face,
his caution is his skill;
high in the solitude of space,
heart full of game and will.

Earth calls to us, and so we stand,
each measured step a sign;
effective is the mind of man
emerging all through time.

And so the mountaineer is bold
among the peril and sting;
against the height, though hard and cold,
another man is king.

Author's Note

This is a Trolaan, a form created by Valerie Peterson Brown. A Trolaan consists of 4 quatrains (a stanza of four lines, each having a similar number of syllables). Each line of the quatrain begins with the same letter and the rhyme scheme is abab.

Starting with the second stanza you use the second letter of the first line of the first stanza to start each line of the second stanza.

On the third stanza you will use the second letter on the first line of the second stanza to begin each line of the third stanza.

On the fourth stanza you will use the second letter on the first line of the third stanza to begin each line of the fourth stanza.

Reviews

[Murtuza]

Quite inspirational, this. Love it :)

[Ian Faraway]

I really liked this actually, it flowed and very inspiring. Thanks!

[Dinesh Sairam]

It's just as written by someone who has returned from a mountaineering course. Thought I've never scaled a mountain, I've seen grand ones and I really wish I could be at the remotely top of one of the mountain.

In the movie "The bucket list" one, the actor says "At the top of the mountain, everything was silent. Then I heard it -- The voice of god". I should go up a mountain and experience myself, well.. someday.

Keep writing :)

[Vicky Zhuang Yi-Yin]

I really really loved what you did here. The theme of hardship vs. determination and the skill in the wordplay and rhyming, is excellent. It kind of made me feel better, and more determined to do what I want to do, rather than just give in to helplessness. Great job!
-Yin