I stand
Looking up at
The apparatus that taunts me,
Silent
Still
Soft material against my skin.
Ten feet tall?
No, twenty feet tall.
I dare to ascend to the top
Starting at the origin
The silks drape my limbs
Push?
Yes, push!
Use your legs!
Use your arms!
Use your hips!
So many directions at once
I am lost.
My mentor comes,
“Don’t give up,” she says
As she gives me a smile
A nod of the head
I’m back on my feet
I’m willing to get to the peak.
Week by week,
Day by day,
I come with all my strength
And willpower
Until one day,
I reach the crest.
Triumphant cheers erupt
In my head
Sweat pours from my heart
Sore muscles
And popped blisters
Are worth this.
“I will conquer you,” I declare to myself
My own journey
In the skies,
Will be over
When we become one.