of witches and mountains

there came a time
when my sure-footed pride
was taller than all mountains
and my mindful heart
confident enough to travel
on every possible path
life was a straight line
drawn between me and my goal
and time, the wind under my wings
nobody dared to challenge me
i could answer all questions and grant all wishes
except for that of a crow who asked for
what i didn't have!
"if it is what i don't have
how can i know what it is?"
i inquired matter-of-factly
but the crow only retorted:
"this time do not trust your feet
go in the opposite direction"

nageb yenruoj ym suht
fo hcraes ni
evah t'ndid i tahw
hgromis kees ot dah i wenk i
ti tuoba ksa ot
faahg ot htap eht dewollof teef ym
noitcerid etisoppo eht esohc i tub

the mountain looming in the horizon
looked so near
but it took me a thousand and one days
to reach it
"an easy ascent," i thought first
yet each step turned out to be a trap
and each stone a curse
each breath summoned a new hazard
and all the time the wind
whispered the witches' chants and incantations
in my ears

the sun shone overhead
still blizzards strangled
the throat of my singing hope
routes kept disappearing into thin air
crevasses opened their sudden mouths
to gulp my attentive will
rest was a deadly test
and each pause
was a fall
down the slope of surrender

i could hear the witches
sneering at me
each time i looked at my map
and when after a thousand and one days of listening
i cried out to shut them up
i was buried under an avalanche

silence was throbbing in my veins
and death was embracing me
in her icy arms
strangely i felt safe and warm
like a baby cuddled in the cradle of time
only there was no hand
to rock my cradle

i closed my eyes
and heard the crow
out of the blue:
"bring me what you don't have!"

"i don't have a hand
i don't have a hand to rock my cradle,"
i tried to shout out
but my mouth was shut
with the hard kiss
of death

tears started rolling
down my eyes
burning my face
setting fire
to the frozen world
engulfing me

i sighed

and suddenly you appeared
with your etheric body
and your real words
you hung them all up
one by one
above the cradle
i could see your delicate hands
dripping on mine
i could feel your presence
upon my skin of oblivion
i could hear your blood
rushing through my veins
the cradle was rocking softly now
our hands touching each other
with each swing

you sang me to awakening

on my way down the mountain
the witches
all clad in green
bowed to me and giggled
the crow never showed up
to claim the trophy
so i kept it safe in my heart