Sometimes a mountain
shakes loose
its deeply rooted trees,
old riverbeds,
the tramping of calloused feet.
It spews out fire and ash,
declares itself free
of expectation.
There is blood-letting
as lava streams down
into the lakes
cooking fish and lilies,
boiling off complacency.
It is the wish
of Gaia.
.
Be careful
when you try
to move a mountain –
but never stop climbing.
.
© 2013 Betty Hayes Albright
Seasonings 
Moving mountains is indeed a challenge that should be taken with care…like the way you given such sage advice.
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Thanks for your comment, Charlie, and thanks as always for reading. (I hope to get caught up with blog reading soon – no doubt I’ve missed a great many of your powerful poems lately.)
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Oh Betty, this just has to be one of my favourites of yours. It is just a dream of a poem and so simply profound too. i really do love this one.
“Declares itself free of expectation” is such a terrific line! Just love all of it
Much love to you and hugs
Xxx
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Thanks, Christine – I’m happy you liked it! It was written with Mt. St. Helens in mind (100 miles south of us) which erupted in 1980. One of my best friends died in the explosion, so I have this “thing” about volcanoes.
Will try to email you soon, when I can be on the computer long enough.
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Thanks Betty. It will be good to hear from you xxxx
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I found this somehow strangely heartening, as well as both bold and refreshing.
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Thank you, Ben – it was meant to be heartening and I’m glad you felt that! 🙂
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I may of course be wrong, but I frequently believe I “get” your poems (and vice versa). Kindred spirits across the miles, despite what I allude to “Misunderstandings”. I am glad to have encountered you and your writing, Betty.
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You aren’t wrong, Ben – and I’m honored to be thought of as a kindred spirit! I too am glad to have met you here on WP and to have had the opportunity of reading your multidimensional poetry – with which I always resonate. (And right now I’m behind on that again!) Thank you for such kind words – from across the land and sea. 🙂
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🙂
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Deep , deep truth, what knowledge of nature you have. beautifully written.
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Thanks, Willow! (I don’t really have that much knowledge of nature – just an emotional connection, maybe?) Hope you’re having a good week!
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You do not realize it… me I am okay just had my first tooth out for 50 odd yrs!! ;(
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That doesn’t sound like much fun – hope you heal up quickly!
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I am getting there!
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Wise words Betty. Beautifully written 🙂
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Thank you, Norma! 🙂
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There are splendid lines here!
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Thanks very much, John!
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Wonderful, Betty!
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Thank you, Martin 🙂
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Wonderful to read your woven syllables of magic and truth Betty. You never disappoint :-).
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Thank you for such a nice compliment, Angela. 🙂
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So many great phrases in this.
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Mao Tse Tung, although I’ll probably not get the wording right, once warned the world that the Chinese people are like the lone peasant who decided to build a mountain near his village. He worked until he was a very old man, but others from the village joined his labors, and though the mountain was not built in one lifetime, over many lifetimes the village built a mountain.
What Mao missed, of course, is that sometimes mountains explode, and everything on the mountain has to start over.
As this poem says so wonderfully,
It is the wish
of Gaia.
Not the wish of humans who may climb a mountain, as you point out, always striving to create a mountain, but still live inside the movements of Gaia.
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Thomas, thank you (and sorry I’m slow to reply to this one.) I hadn’t ever heard Mao Tse Tung’s simile about the Chinese people – interesting story. And you’re right – he didn’t take eruptions into account! (Or the erosion of time and weather. 🙂 )
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Wow Betty, this is very, very good!
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