A Mile Through Midnight

Climbing the Mountains of the Valley

Midnight 
ends a mile 
up this mountain
carved in starless bl-
-ackness
patterned, spotted like an ocean
To climb this trench the depth of Ev-
-erest is blacker still a feat, a test and dee-
-per still a grim vocation. I cut my way through 
forest paths, shedding concrete, bleeding stained glass
in droplets | fractals | fractions of ascent along this path afeared
and
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even
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in
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this
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—{V A L L E Y}—>>>
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drawn
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in pain
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and rifts
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between
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I steel myself for firmament a mile higher than the night, and wond-
-er what the trials meant, or if the bleeding, glassy light might lea-
-ve me lighter than I began; might prove a buoy in this night.
But I have walked this path, a year and one of Three parts
more; and I have walked through here before, with Three
aligned and many more. So strike me down, until I sta-
-nd a bloodied, breaking, Umbranaut, thirsting fangs
still grit and bearing for this
blackest
midnight come. For darkness ends
a mile higher, and I
stand further
than I've
Known.