In the Sauntering

I was pathetic
Thinking that I was powerful enough
For in all that time
I felt the feeblest.
My powers have never failed me
Except during this longest sauntering of my life.
And a feeble that I was,
I knew I was burden spare
A luggage carried
By no other than my stick—
That fallen branch of tree which had helped me
Through the trail—
All the way the ascent
All the way the descent.

I was holding you tight,
You were holding me
So I would not fall
And when I did,
And was almost bidding surrender,
You were still holding me,
Being my legs
And my hands.

I was never sure
How much power that little piece of branch had
But one thing was certain—
I was never alone
Never lonely
Never left
In that journey
To shake hands with the fog
And meet the sky.

My branch had been there
Watching me
Perceiving depth
Giving strength
Encouraging breath
Defining my path
Carving a ladder
Easing the pain of the climb
Rescuing
Sheltering
Sensing
Smiling
Telling
And
Moving
On and on…

With me.

Upon discovering my deficiency,
I discovered the supremacy
Of an unexpected company
An unexpected invitation.

In the sauntering,
I held my branch tight in my hands
As close as I could in my heart
For I knew I could not take it
Once I head home;
I would have to leave it somewhere there in the woods
Yet
The bond we had
And the memories we created
Would forever be treasured
Just as how I would forever treasure,
After the kilometers,
My prize at the peak.