I stood before a gaping maw
of pristine ice
the crevasse below restrains
the careless consumer of light
Leaping out over the void
the cold darkness stares at my exposed belly
Do I want what is on the other side,
or do I run from my own back?
What lies waiting in the dark, down there?
Are they hungry?
Do they fear me?
Do I care for them at all?
Will I reach the other side?
Will my leap be just insufficient enough
to land me, clawing into the far bank, hefting against my weight
doubting my resolution?
Perhaps I want to miss
and land in the inky dark
sinking down, light passing up and away
shrinking into a orb
To then touch down
grit between my spreading toes
thrusting, elongating, stretching my gut
plummeting upwards, fist outreached
prepared to punch through
The stinging black had galvanized my resolve
as hot steel on an anvil
awaits the next hammer blow
I crave the future