If I Were You

If I were you

With sights set on the golden peak of a mountain

Far too high to reach with ease

I would, at times, look back to see

Who followed silently,

Sad footsteps in the snow,

Brushed away gently by the wind.

If I were you,

With eyes that are dewdrops

Turned to diamonds by the sun

I'd let them glint and glitter

At every upward turn of my lips

Not the empty smile that hardship demands,

But the soft bloom of warmth

Amidst the ice

The flame still alive from knowing

There are two more legs making this journey

And another pair of hands to hold.

If I were you, I'd want to know

Who guarded me from the cold

Who draped a makeshift patchwork blanket

Of whispered words

Over proud, strong shoulders- lest they shiver,

Lest the stars in the two black holes

Which drew in her soul,

Begin to grow dimmer.

If I were you

I wouldn't suppress the drops of honey

Rolling into a song

That awoke the mountain birds

And made them chirp and flutter

In her heart

Their cottony wings beating in rhythm with

The determined steps next to mine.

If I were you,

I would feel alive in this cadaverous scene

I'd call out clearly to the cliffs

And sing softly to the streams

Making each moment

A memory, bright

Slow down the day,

And in a show of colorful lights

Illuminate every tranquil night

Like only you do.