Barnard Mountain

Barnard Mountain

　
The road up Barnard Mountain
Had just been paved
And as we saw it,
The steep winding ascent
Owed us

　
We had conquered the summit
Young legs straining,
Lungs burning,
Refusing to get off and walk,
Front wheels
Weaving and wobbling with the climb.

　
How could we deny
That smooth black pavement,
Still breathing the horse sweat
Scent of new asphalt.
Yellow racing stripes down the center line

　
Only headlong descent
Could cool us,
And balance 
Our labor

　
Looking back, I know,
Only one stick,
Or pebble,
And we would have flown
Disastrously
Adults had been telling us such things
For years,
　

But there were no wise grown ups here
Only Immortal,
Invincible youth
At the top of the hill,
Handlebars,
Pointing front tires down the curving descent,
Letting the ancient discovery
Of the wheel have it's way.  
　

Arcing gracefully like birds,
Faster
And faster,
Shouting and singing,
Joy and terror.

　
At the bottom,
We needed the full strength of our brakes
And the long flats
To come to rest safely

　
Spent,
Pedaling toward home,
And the staid future
We were
Paid in full for the climb