surrounded by green,
i feel i’ve traveled
this path in my past,
its twists over tree roots,
the edges thick with ancient ferns,
moisture licking my legs,
it is more than a memory.

i come to a place
that has haunted (pleased)
so many dreams that my mind
has put forward just for
this moment in time.

here it offers me a crossroads,
the yellow wood from my youth
or the mountain to climb with age.

i reach for what i think must be
a native plant, plucking up
its circular leaf pattern to turn in my palm
while my mind, taken aback,
makes the choice.

as startling as my decision is,
i turn towards the mountain.
i have seen some peaks between now and then
and I am ready for the climb.