Eyes Up

by Matthew White

EYES UP

Resplendent stands that stoic stony crag

Above foreboding haunts as call below.

This jagged judge awash with brooding black;

A lofty friend to ridge and tarn and snow.

We whisper sacred secrets to ourselves—

Lament how time defaced our former sheen.

We sing an ode to travelers who fell

Whose final moments only mountains see.

Eyes up and up and up until that rock

Slides past my doubts and smooths my weathered soul,

Though torrid paths still try their best to block

Tired pilgrims primed for nothing but a stroll.

Such ancient grandeur strikes awe to this day

By giving back the breath it takes away.

MATTHEW WHITE

Matthew White is an Anglican priest, poet, and songwriter based in West Sussex in the United Kingdom. His debut poetry collection, Propelled into Wonder, which spans themes of beauty, loss, and faith, was published in September 2024 to wide acclaim.

Substack: idleandblessed.substack.com

Instagram:   @matthewwhitepics @poetunearthed

Author website: www.matthewwhite.online

Inquiries: hello@matthewwhite.online