June 22, 2020 · 1:54 pm
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Held You – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

RDP Monday – Pinnacle

Photo: climber Alison Hargreaves, found on Pinterest.

I have written about Hargreaves before, a haunting story of courage and accomplishment and death. Tragically her son Tom died climbing in 1919.

“And if you are given two options, take the harder one because you’ll regret it if you don’t.” Alison Hargreaves

Held You

The pinnacles of Peak gritstone
enticed you to claim their craggy faces
week after week until you were ready
for the most audacious exploits 
of Eiger and Everest,
their foreboding reputations surrendered
to your determination and courage,
except the last, as it came to be,
when instead, K2 jealously claimed you
for itself, reluctant to let you go,
and, for a time, held you in its icy maw
as honour to your craft.

©Paul Vincent Cannon

17 Comments

Filed under death, Free Verse, life, Mountaineering, nature, poem, quote

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17 responses to “Held You – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon”

  1. OIKOS™-Publishing
    June 22, 2020 at 2:11 pm

    The last two line are showing it all. Michael

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Chris Hall
    June 22, 2020 at 2:17 pm

    A great tribute to the courageous souls whose lives have been thus claimed.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. V.J. Knutson
    June 22, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    I have a friend that is addicted to the challenge – a compulsion I don’t understand but admire. Well written.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. Liz Gauffreau
    June 22, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    Putting oneself in extreme physical danger is an impulse I don’t understand. I vaguely remember a lecture on it in a literature course I took in college, but not what explanation professor gave.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Rupali
    June 24, 2020 at 2:07 pm

    Quite emotional tribute.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. Lara/Trace
    June 29, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    I can imagine climber Alison Hargreaves didn’t have any regret. That is brave.

    Like

    Reply
  7. lync56
    July 30, 2020 at 1:45 pm

    A beautiful tribute

    >

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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