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