Mountain in West Virginia

Mountain in West Virginia

On the lone mountain

there is only sky above,

and rock below

my hands

and climbing feet

and far below is the forest

its shadows and soft trees

like clouds, like waves moving

with the hot wind from the valleys

rising up the hills with voices

of old lusts   old dreams

old terrors

but somewhere
in the forest the lichen
is green--the creek wet
and cold