Climber Frozen on a Look Rock Monolith
Halfway up the rock she stops.
A buzzard glides past.
She curses her winglessness,
right boot wedged,
tendons vibrating, locked.
One hand scratches a convex
stone, and dust
trickles a faint dirge.
The other hand clenches
a root hair. A beetle scrawls
mindless script. Dead blue
envelops the left boot.
No rope sings from above.
No ladder leans from below.
(Drawing by Carlyn Nelson)
David Phillips, Appalachian Zen poet flutist, studied words and music at the University of Tennessee. He produces “Y'All-Ternative” on WUTK-FM, a radio show featuring classic and contemporary Americana music.