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 empty night
Like only you do.

I would do it, if I were you.