#verselove - 3 I don't want to be

For the month of April, I am participating in 30 days of #verselove poetry writing with Dr. Sarah J. Donovan's Ethical ELA. 

Today's inspiration was offered by my blogging friend Glenda Funk, who suggests an "I don't want to be" poem. She references a poem by Christian Wimon "I Don't Want to be a Spice Store" and suggests that we explore what we don't want to be contrasted with what we do want to be.  

I really enjoyed writing this poem. I immediately imagined one of my most favorite places, being in the mountains - and, yet, how I'd really not like to 'be' a mountain. Then, I just wrote from there . . . .

I don’t want to be 
a mountain
aloof in the distance
separate and strong
set apart
I don’t want to be taken for granted
often met with a quick glance and largely ignored
as people hurry by in their cars on the winding roads below 
I don’t want to live without real intimacy

I especially don’t want to be
a formidable strong cold rock of a mountain
of exceptional height
say, an Everest, Denali, Kilimanjaro 
where the goal is to conquer me
where I feel the constant probe of fingers and 
shoes and hooks and ropes
assailing me
I don’t want people to try to scale me
and possibly meet their death
finding me treacherous

I want to be  
the sloping loamy surrounds of the Isle of Skye
the deep green red brown heathery moss 
stretching and inviting
one wonders where I begin and end 
a beautiful soft mass
kissed by lochs and waterfalls
connecting
nurturing
people, plants, and wildlife 
flocking basking living together 
magical and welcoming