To conquer the summits that rise
as the old world dwindles behind
As flesh and spirit acclimatize,
the ultimate trial has begun
They tower and loom above,
frightful and divine
Impossible is their magnitude,
eerie their skylines
Serpentine their pathways,
bereft of any signs
The winds, they never slacken
at the mountains of mind
Odyssey of vastness,
perilous ascent
Watching each step,
aware of every breath
Disembodied at heights unreal,
each vital move an act of will
Fatigue the watchful enemy,
fear the greatest thief
Sleep the deadliest luxury
and the mightiest of reliefs
Out of air, the final leap
Eyes aghast at the miracle
A shroud of clouds reveal the pinnacles
The spirit is exhausted yet high
when you've made the climb
The world feels ancient but awake
atop the mountains of mind
Vertigo reigns but the soul is at peace
The body shattered yet floating in a dream
Shaking, in a trance, from limb to limb
Eyes in disbelief at vistas unseen
Returning seems easy but futile
when you've crossed the line
Life and d**h, pleasure and pain
are as one at the mountains of mind