\u201cMountains there, mountains there.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mountains everywhere\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Old Man of the Forest,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Says,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Surrounding us are evergreen and\u00a0cedar;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We are on a precipice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Looking down the slopes of mountains and trees<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As far as the eye can\u00a0see,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And then the Old Man says to me, \u201cWe must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Descend,\u201d And into the forest<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We go deeper.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the valley,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n the sweet boughs weep<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rain and sleet,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our horses plod along.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n My spiked shoes soak in the mud<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The puddles are long and deep,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Old Man hums\u00a0along;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We go on our Road.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat brings you here?\u201d the Old Man says<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen civilization is so much neater.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I just nod my head and walk along, nodding to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Old Man and the Cedars.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The weather will change<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The sun breaks through<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In small shafts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The\u00a0spider drinks the dew,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The hummingbird flew<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And into the Forest,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We go deeper.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Old Man<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With his purple-cone hat<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Picks up a stone<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And tosses it in that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Old well we come upon.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n No one seems to be home,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Witch is not about.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The horses stand still,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n their breath a\u00a0mist;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Old Man gives a little shout.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI guess she\u2019s not here\u201d he surmises.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whistling to the horses,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We go on looking for prizes,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In our isolation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes a nation?\u201d the Old Man asks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIs it trees and rivers and mountains? And men\u00a0with whiskey<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Flasks?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m dry now,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As dry as I\u2019ll ever be.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Two things I\u00a0love;\u00a0the Forest<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And the Sea.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And it really means a lot to me,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n to walk with the Old Man.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One day I may look\u00a0back;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But I shall be gone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chris Skiles \u201cMountains there, mountains there.\u00a0 Mountains everywhere\u201d\u00a0 The Old Man of the Forest,\u00a0 \u00a0 Says,\u00a0 \u00a0 Surrounding us are evergreen and\u00a0cedar;\u00a0 We are on a precipice.\u00a0 Looking down the slopes of mountains and trees\u00a0 As far as the eye can\u00a0see,\u00a0 \u00a0 And then the Old Man says to me, \u201cWe must\u00a0 Descend,\u201d And into… <\/p>\n