Two Hundred Miles: A Narrative Poem
The Summit of Mount Washington
Author's Note
This is a poem/story about my son, Dan. I wrote about this same endeavor recently in essay form. I felt inclined to present it also as a poem. If you want a fuller context, you can read the essay, A Promise to Keep, either before or after you read the poem.
Two Hundred Miles
His name is Dan
My son, that is,
And he’s a man.
He’s proven this.
A promise he made
To his dear mother
He would not evade
Or listen to others
Who bade him think
Of moving on.
Forget that thing
You told your mom.
For seventeen weeks
He’s been on a mission
He’s been on his feet
To keep his commission
On the Appalachian Trail,
You’ve heard of that.
Georgia to Maine
As a matter of fact.
#
He began this quest
Ten years ago
The family did invest
Supporting from home.
Cancer had come,
That horrid beast,
To challenge Dan’s mom
To say the least.
Three months along
Dan caught a bus
Something was wrong
Get home, he must.
His mother lay
Upon her bed.
And to her son,
This is what she said.
Promise me, Dan
You’ll finish the trail
In this one plan
You cannot fail.
At 3 in the morn
She breathed her last
We began to mourn
The die was cast.
#
Ten years have passed
Yet Dan recalls
Those words, her last.
The Trail still calls.
From Michigan’s shore
Sailed his boat south
To the Gulf of Mexico
and a river’s mouth.
The boat he sold
On one fine day
And set his goal
Up Georgia way.
He stood at last
Upon the Trail
With memories past
He would not fail.
How does one hike
Two thousand miles?
Dan set his site
On his mother’s smile.
Until today,
The task not done
The end so near
Tempted to run
Two hundred miles more,
The hardest steps,
To a heart restored
And a promise kept.
Dan's Mother, Sandy
Questions & Answers
© 2018 Chris Mills
Comments
AUTHORShauna, Thank you for reading the story and poem. Dan has quite a story to tell.
- AUTHOR
Mark, I appreciate you visiting and leaving such a kind comment.
Beautiful poem, Chris. I read the full story and look forward to reading Dan's account when he finishes his trek.
Nicely done on both counts--poetry and the promise.
- AUTHOR
Suhail, I appreciate the emotion you felt as you read. I believe Dan is now entering a stretch of the AT in Maine that will finally be relatively flat. He has come out of the White Mountains. Ahead, though, is Mount Katahdin and the brutal climb to the finish.
I read this poem with tears brewing in my eyes. This was a masterpiece that pays a rich tribute to a son's commitment to his mom.
Reportedly, the last 200 miles of the AT in Maine are the most crucial to traverse, because of the fickle weather, the difficult terrain, and the fatigue that sets in.
I will read the essay shortly.
Regards,
Suhail
- AUTHOR
Rinita, Yes, Dan is a man of honor. You got that message loud and clear. Thank you for reading the poem and for your kind comments.
I feel two things right now, Chris. One - speechless about your son's honour of word to his mother, and two - happy about the effortless flow of verses with which you conveyed this commitment to the world. I will read the essay next to learn more about the trek details. Thank you for sharing.
- AUTHOR
Michael, I have family here on HP, and I have my biological family. The two meet right here with me. In that sense, you are part of the family. Thank you for your kind thoughts.
- AUTHOR
Sean, writing that poem was a labor of love. I will send Dan the link so he can read it as well. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.
- AUTHOR
Eric, that bond is real. You, Dan, and I share that tie that binds.
- AUTHOR
Shyron, thank you for recognizing this as an issue of integrity for Dan. That is certainly how he sees it.
Both, essay as well as a poem docked deeply in my mind.Thank you very much Chris for sharing a significant life story, sentiment close to the heart, making impression as if being a member of the family...
My friend, Chris, I send to you and your son my Love, my admiration and a small tribute: To Sandy and Dan
A mother gives birth
An adventure on Earth
A mother is Love
A white free dove
When the dove is gone
She lives in her son
A boy who has lost
Don't count any cost
To the mountain's high
To reach her in the sky
A promise has kept
A soul has wept
Two spirits as one
Sandy and Dan
A new life has begun
For the dove and her son
Sean
A subtle and powerful ode.
I had read the essay before and it is one that sticks in our memory. So I dove right into the poem. Tears welled up. Men who hike the back trails share an unspoken bond and felt this in both you and him.
The love is amazing.
Wonderful tribute to your son's integrity Chris, I did enjoy your poem.
Blessing my dear friend.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, John. The essay gives much more detail. I appreciate you taking time to read this poem.
This is a wonderful tribute to your son and his quest to finish the trail and satisfy his promise to his Mom. Thanks for sharing this touching poem Chris. I still have to read the essay, but I will.
20