the sky sinks its blue teeth br into the mountains. br br Rising on pure will br br (the lurch & lift-off, br the sudden swing br into wide, white snow), br br I encourage the cable. br br Past the wind br & crossed tips of my skis br & the mauve shadows of pines br & the spoor of bears br & deer, br br I speak to my fear, br br rising, riding, br finding myself br br the only thing br between snow & sky, br br the link br that holds it all together. br br Halfway up the wire, br we stop, br slide back a little br (a whirr of pulleys). br br Astronauts circle above us today br in the television blue of space. br br But the thin withers of alps br are waiting to take us too, br & this might be the moon! br br We move! br br Friends, this is a toy br merely for reaching mountains br br merely br for skiing down. br br & now we're dangling br like charms on the same bracelet br br or upsidedown tightrope people br (a colossal circus!) br br or absurd winged walkers, br angels in animal fur, br br with mittened hands waving br & fear turning br br & the mountain br like a fisherman, br br reeling us all in. br br So we land br on the windy peak, br touch skis to snow, br are married to our purple shadows, br & ski back down br to the unimaginable valley br br leaving no footprints.