The Thrill of Conquest
A poem
Background
I wrote this poem in 1988 and it was published in my high school literary magazine.
The Thrill of Conquest
Snowflakes drop upon our brows,
slush beneath our feet.
The air around us freezes the tips of our gloves;
Still, we are determined to conquer this last great mountain.
Just one foot in front of the other,
thinking thoughts of hot cocoa brewing on a sizzling stove.
Keep moving, because surely if we stop,
the end will consume us.
Beneath our necks, winter’s chill makes its home.
We cannot go on much longer.
At long last! The apogee is in sight!
Thank the Lord for small miracles.
We reach the top, and slump to the ground in exhaustion.
Our flag is set in the ground, claiming this mountain ours.
All of a sudden,
the wind carries the sound of a ghostly voice,
“Children, dinner is ready.”
Oh well, so much for another adventure.
We jumps on our sleds,
and slide down our hill into the backyard.
— Donald Raab
Thank you for reading! I took the pictures this past weekend on a trip to Maine. I hope you enjoy them.
