The path curved up through the endless green,
Tall pine trees swaying softly in the breeze.
Each breath I took felt sharp but clean.
The world around me began to cool down.
We have been hiking for three days now,
It took us till today to even reach the entrance.
Now what awaits me is pure agony,
Two miles of nothing but pure uphill for this mountain hike.
After an hour and a half of pure agony of hiking uphill,
The loose rocks crunched beneath my shoes,
The sunlight spilled between the leaves.
Birds glided through the open blue skies.
At last, the peak came into view,
The shy stretched wide beyond the horizon.
The sun up and high, its golden light
Made everything feel new and bright.
I stood still, taking in the view,
Surrounded by a view so rare to find in the city.
The mountains around me covered by trees and snow,
For once the world felt so clear.
But one thing that I will never forget,
Is that even at the top of a mountain
There is always another peak.
What made me write this poem was my experience with The Woods Project this past summer. I went to Olympic National Park in Washington and spent several days walking through forests and mountains. We hiked a total of 26 miles and reached a high point that gave me a view I will never forget. There was a moment when I thought I had gotten to the top, but there was still more to climb. That surprise pushed me to keep going, and it also inspired the message at the end of the poem about not stopping when you think you're done.
My writing process was just me thinking back on the summer trip and my time in the backcountry. I sat down and remembered the trails, the smell of the trees, the sound of the wind, and how tired but proud I felt. It was like a flashback that I tried to share on the page. I didn’t plan every line ahead of time. I just let the feelings come out and then shaped them into a poem.
I used imagery so the reader could picture the hike and feel like they were there in the moment. I sat down and remembered the trails, the smell of the trees, the sound of the wind, and how tired but proud I felt. It was like a flashback that I tried to share on the page. I didn’t plan every line ahead of time. I just let the feelings come out and then shaped them into a poem.
I structured the poem to drop the reader into the hike instead of starting at the very mints of where the trail started for me to get that photo. Each part builds up the experience little by little, just like climbing a mountain where every step takes you higher. That structure makes the final message feel earned by the end of the poem.
The themes I explored include adventure, overcoming doubt, and enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. I also hope the poem encourages people to keep pushing even when they think their limit has arrived. Sometimes the best part is just past that point.
I wasn't influenced by any specific author for my poem. Instead, I tried to write honestly in my own style. I wanted it to feel natural while still sounding poetic. My goal was to show what the trip meant to me, rather than copy another writer.
I love hiking and seeing new places. Experiencing the world up close is something that inspired me to write about my personal experience.