Long Climb

You’ve seen the view from the peak
But never felt the ache deep in your bones until you reached
The final steps back down
Jolts like a machine gun
Poles magnetising to old feelings

Reintroduced to strides from the way up
Feel their fresh pain again as you can’t forget what you’ve seen
Got used to altitude at the top
Of battered decisions you’re back wading through the details of

To the exit

It’s a long climb
Towards a final night
Towards a final slice of your old life
And though you know it’s right
It could never be

Fit in it one last time
And then leave

There’ll be a final night
There’ll be a drawn out tearing goodbye
There’ll be an edge defined
As you fall from it
As you exit the eyes
You inhabited

Fit in one last time
And then that’s it