my avalanche

The summit,
Sun on my face.
Vast, beautiful,
And dangerous-
This mountain force.

Standing on the edge,
I feel power and fear.
Sinking feeling,
Stealing the air
From my chest-
Breathless in the sunset.

The overlook,
With dangling legs.
I feel free in the open space.
Still, to move an inch
Would be my avalanche-
Curse of altitude.

Thinner air
And stronger lungs,
I must resist the pending plunge.
Touch the horizon
But pull back.
Drunk on the view,
Dizzying height.

So far I've climbed,
But this I've learned:
You can't fall unless
You're standing.
Every avalanche begins
With a mountain.