Every Mountain has a Soul

Pico Viejo, Emma Arthur (2014)

Every mountain you climb is unique and leaves you with an indefineable sense of being. This particular mountain, or volcano, lies down to the west of Mount Teide on Tenerife at a height of 3,135 m above sea level. It takes four hours to walk down. See the path (line) going from the top left towards the bottom right. The last section of the path is hidden by the brown lava flow in the foreground. This is one of the best photographs I have taken of Pico Viejo. I have done the walk several times under different weather conditions.

I wrote this poem after reading 'Mountain Home - The wilderness poetry of ancient China' selected and translated by David Hinton. The poem is written in the style of the ancient Chinese philosopher poets.

Every mountain has its soul

You feel its embrace

as you draw a deep breath

of its mountain air

and take a step on the well-worn, winding path.

Your footsteps in the footsteps of the past,

a million steps pressing down on the earth

on this journey

to reach the top

because it is glorious

this feeling of belonging,

this feeling that you are truly alive,