Path Defined

Path Defined

What moves a man
to do the impossible
the un-seemly
the unwise?
Why must he accomplish
that which has not been done before by him
--and perhaps no one?
What moves him
to encounter danger and thrill?
Low in the valley
he must embrace
the dangerous sheer paths,
think about every step
fraught with slippery struggle
to surmount the peak
and gain from the mountain
he respects and fears.

Marsha Salerno 2008