and you're going over it whether you want to or not
Typically in this sort of metaphor you're on a train
or bus
a symbol of a society speeding too fast
to avoid what's ahead
But in this case you are alone on foot
and you move much slower
The cliff is below you, you must climb down to it
The scenery is majestic at times
but traversing the terrain is arduous
taking your eyes off what you are doing can be
hazardous
You move down towards it,
walking, scrambling, slipping,
falling, crawling, climbing
Night comes, you sleep but do not dream
Day comes and you continue down towards the ledge
Rocks and plants
alternately obstacles and aides
Lending a hand then scratching and biting
small wounds easily ignored
in the exhaustion
It's hard to tell how far away the cliff is
sometimes you can see it in the distance
and sometimes it is obscured by landscape
You think it's there
but then it's not
This goes on for a long time
but not forever
Dreams are few
but sometimes
before you can surrender to sleep
you wonder what it will feel like to be
weightless
Because whether you want to or not
There's a cliff in the distance
and you're going over it