The Mountain Poem by Denis Martindale

The Mountain


The mountain was so mighty a thing to behold
and made even more magnificent
because of the snow that coated every crevice
both high and low.
The snow crunched beneath my feet
as I approached the mountain.
The air was bitterly cold
and the sky gave me a fair warning
of what would happen later in the day.
My companion was talking very slowly
as he described the mountain to me.
It was like I could barely focus on his words
because at that moment
the mountain was all I could take in.
The trees were visible only at their tops
where the branches stayed,
steadfast against the fallen snow.
A breeze I had enjoyed only a few minutes ago
now began to increase in power
and seemed to slap my face instead.
My hands and feet warned me not to stay long.
My companion stopped talking.
He motioned to me that it was time to leave.
Who was I to argue?
The mountain could bare the cold much longer than I
and yet I felt strange
because I wanted to say goodbye to the mountain
as if it were alive.
I kept my silence.
I turned and made my way back
as my companion went on ahead.
Back to the cabin,
back to a place of warmth and safety
and to the food that was being prepared for us to enjoy.
I don't know which part of all that I wanted or need more.
Thankfully, they were all waiting for me…
thanks to the kindness of strangers yet again.


Denis Martindale. August 2020.


The Mountain


The mountain was so mighty a thing to behold and made even more magnificent because of the snow that coated every crevice both high and low. The snow crunched beneath my feet as I approached the mountain. The air was bitterly cold and the sky gave me a fair warning of what would happen later in the day. My companion was talking very slowly as he described the mountain to me. It was like I could barely focus on his words because at that moment the mountain was all I could take in. The trees were visible only at their tops where the branches stayed, steadfast against the fallen snow. A breeze I had enjoyed only a few minutes ago now began to increase in power and seemed to slap my face instead. My hands and feet warned me not to stay long. My companion stopped talking. He motioned to me that it was time to leave. Who was I to argue? The mountain could bare the cold much longer than I and yet I felt strange because I wanted to say goodbye to the mountain as if it were alive. I kept my silence. I turned and made my way back as my companion went on ahead. Back to the cabin, back to a place of warmth and safety and to the food that was being prepared for us to enjoy. I don't know which part of all that I wanted or need more. Thankfully, they were all waiting for me… thanks to the kindness of strangers yet again.


Denis Martindale. August 2020.


This is based on watching Travel shows
on the QUEST TV channel here in the UK.
The wonderful scenery is matched in beauty
by the hospitality being offered to visitors.