The Trail

Breathing in the scent of damp earth,

sheltered by gray clouds and tall trees,

warm,

tense in distinct places,

then relaxed.

The sound of a rhythmic soft thud,

and the breath, interspersed with bird song.

Glimmers of sun through the tree tops,

and the soupy feeling of the air,

enveloping my body,

flushing my skin.

Gentle upward slopes, 

and muddy depressions,

leading to a downhill gravel trail.

Thirty minutes of this precious human life,

speeding ever forward,

always gaining momentum,

and then a plateau,

a decline,

the final sprint of a barn sour horse,

and it's over.

A life within a life.