Mountainside

A Happy and Light Poem

The sun comes down the broken mountain 
Cascades spring from nature’s fountain
Deer with steps of a downy feather
Lightly skip through gorse and heather
Oh to tread their ancient beat 
The slave of none but ice and heat
Oh to float above the crowd
To sing with joy and cry aloud

My tree has grown three hundred years 
Worn oak now grey about the ears
Nearby him stands his old comrade
The fir with armour firmly clad
They cannot speak one to another
But with their greatness anger smother
They know that rash words hinder much
They make me wish the stars to touch

Down here below is dark and hate
And much is twisted out of shape
Much there is that shouldn’t be
I’ve been told twice two is three 
All around they hold their breath
Reject their God and deny death 
I would rise above this dismal throng
I would love the right and conquer wrong

Down here as well though rays shine through 
Bright glimpses of a radiant blue 
Bouncing through the factory smoke
Signaling the day when all will choke
These rays will turn to single beam
Surrounding all a dazzling gleam
Will dash away the blinding dark
No more can evil leave its mark

All then will be as on the heights
The streets will fill with woodland sprites
The oak will lift his feet at last
Unafraid the deer stalks past
The streams will spring from virgin soil
Through square and market twist and coil
No longer must I wish to fly
For all will rise to touch the sky