༺ Yarn ༻

we had been climbing
all day long
the wind at the top
was steady
as a rock

the routes were shortish
I spent a fair amount of time
bringing in the ropes
leaning on that wind
so strong

right at the last
before going home
we went to look over
and say goodbye

the angle we stood at
put the eyes level with the rim
and the feet about
a foot back
appropriately enough

I don’t know what possessed me
but I inched forward
so the toes
got to the lip
the eyes looked back
onto the headwall

nearer to flight
I couldn’t get
a snatched moment
delirious
eternal

oh but you could lean
on that wind

was it an act of faith
or tempting fate?