My feet walk steadily ahead,
A dull ache festering in my heels,
As I trudge along on my chosen path,
Droplets of sweat trickle down my face,
And flood the ground in minuscule areas.
Through the pain,
My eyes try to observe,
The detrimental environment,
Seemingly created to torture my mind and body,
They see the bright sun,
Shining through the drizzle,
They see the soft dirt road,
Soaking in the water,
They see the parched meadows,
Flowerless, yet green enough.
They see a place of tranquility,
Calm yet somewhat eerie.
I struggle to keep my eyes open,
The thick, heavy fog acts as a barrier,
Each step more difficult than the last,
As I push and I push,
I need to stop,
But the voice from within, says otherwise.
Never stop, never quit, do not give up.
But I cannot keep going,
Is it worth it, I question,
I start to feel drained,
My knees begin to buckle and my vision begins to darken,
Shutting out the voices.
Reaching deep, I gain my strength,
Enduring the pain to tread a different path,
I summon the courage to stop,
Despite the ingrained urge to continue,
Resting on a rock, I bow my head in gratitude,
My agonized eyes drift into a peaceful slumber.