Free Fall Trail by Aidyn Smith

For the men in the chivalry trap,

Trap the beast and fear the least.

For those in the romantic drop,

Kiss the ground and lose the crown.

For those in the pit of greatness,

Fashion a rope and climb out by your boots.

Do you want that dozey-do or that “move too slow?

Or do you want that fast pace and first place?

Robert Frost gave the hipsters a lullaby.

The road less traveled by is that way for a reason.

That road is thorns and mud pits.

Its full of “whens” and “ifs”.

Its full of insecurity and fits.

Its full of trolls and ghouls.

Ghouls and grime.

Grime and grass.

Grass and a road.

Its full of possibilities.

I took that road down the Free Fall Trail.

I walked it a short way and

I found a path traveled by many men and dogs,

And one seemingly long forgotten.

I remembered it and heard its story.

As I walk down that path,

I saw no sky, but a tree top blanket.

I saw a battered road.

I saw a hidden cove.

I saw a strange and crying drove.

I saw a fallen glove.

I heard a strangled cry

And I saw no star filled sky.

I met a split and had a choice.

I made my choice.

I saw the same.

I met a split.

A cycle then followed.

Split and choice and seeming indifference.

I followed the cycle.

For endless time I split that choice of indifference.

I felt the ground grow hard and my eyes grow heavy.

I walked and felt only monotony,

Until suddenly, trees fell away

And birds sang.

The sun beat down on me.

The world welcomed me into its arms.

Its beauty overtook me.

It was heaven.

And I shied into the road.

The sun too bright, the birds too loud.

This was not where the trail was supposed to lead to.

I must have taken a wrong turn.

As I felt the road continue on its monotony,

I couldn't help but think of the bird's cry.

Of the sun's warmth.

Of the soft grass.

And I turned around.

I wandered.

Followed my route.

I walked for seemingly forever to take in what I had seen.

My feet grew weary.

My eyes grew strained and tired.

My shoulders strained against my pack.

I was Atlas on a quest.

I walked.

I walked.

I crawled.

I grew tired.

At last, I emerged.

I emerged to the sun.

To the birds.

It was pleasant.

Then I felt that the warmth was different.

The birds were not making the same cry.

It was not the same.

I looked around me.

I saw a sign.

I approached it and

It read “Free Fall Trail- .08 miles”

I looked down to see bootprints in the dirt.

Their tread was that of my own.

I walked that trail everyday for 7 years

And never once did I find that field again.

And the world felt heaven and hell,

Along the path of Free Fall Trail.