A Mountain

Do not cry, my son
For what you see before you
Is nothing but a mountain

A pile of rocks
A bump
A lump
A lot of nothing

Oh yes, it is majestic in its way
But it is nothing to fear

For fear is something we reserve
For much darker days than this

You see your father
Suited up
For great adventure
And you fear
He will not return

But you see, a father never really leaves
And so when I am but out of sight
That missing man?
The one beyond your vision?

That is just one form of myself
It is not all of who I am

And so return or no
I am and will be forever
Your father

And what we have
That ties us
Is like a rope
That can go around this mountain
More times than you can count
And never strain or break

If you must know why I climb
It is because sometimes there are things
You cannot go around
Under, or through

Sometimes, my boy, one must climb

And if you fall
The gods will applaud you
For having tried
And they will catch you in their hands
Before you can feel yourself
Touch the ground

That is what I believe
That is my only religion

Love and luck to you, my son

And I shall see you
On the other side