My surface is full of shadows of trees and rocks
Some still, like the night,
Some flitting about
And some sighing while gazing about them

They will begin to flee soon
For I see the sun is just about to begin its skyward journey
It is touching my friends on the east side,
With a very light and delicate touch
But the shadows do not know this

I only know because I can see everything.
My gaze can see over the wide river in the valley
My friends and I surround in our majestic manner
When people look at me
They do not see the many, many other mountains
That are stretched behind me

They do not see the billowing clouds
That are floating right above me
So close we sometimes touch.
The vast view of distant villages,
Hidden rivers, lakes, and grander mountains,
And much more, all is unseen by them.
But I see it

Occasionally some determined child
Will run up my sides with great pants
Just to see what is at the top.
Their light quick steps tickle my face
Like the wind does at times
I am happy to have rewarded them when their own faces
Light up like the eastern sky in the morning
As they gaze with awe at what I see every day.

Once an old man struggled patiently up my rocks
And for a long time stared beyond with such a gaze
That it seemed he looked
Straight into heaven, for there were tears
Then he said something that I didn’t understand
“Life is much like climbing mountains.”
He said with a sigh.
“Some sit and don’t try but continue to go with the flow
They do not want to climb the mountain
Because of the roughness
Then they are never able to see the beauty.
They never see what is beyond
The flowing river and valley of the world
It is a pity, for they will never want to aspire higher…”

The last phrase made me hum
For the rest of the day
“And become something great,
Like these mountains.”

The shadows are leaving now
And I greet the sun with a slight yawn
He nods and smiles brightly over all that I can see and more
Another day has come
Maybe a child has woken up
And is looking at me with hopes of reaching my top