Hawk Eye - by David Amm 2006
read at Andrews wedding 25th Feb 2006

The stream bubbles through its rocky bed,
Gate keeper to a magical place.
The shifting sands of time unknown
Uncover the majesty of the rock face.
High above the valley floor,
Protected by the sheerest falls,
The hawk awaits the climbers' embrace.

They inch their way upwards -
Like a caterpillar on a vine -
Ends working independently,
Joined by a common life line.
Pitch by pitch the route is won
False starts, detours, white-knuckle edges
Cannot not divert them from their grand design.

He reaches around the corner,
For a firm hand hold.
Beneath him swoops the void to tree tops far below
His feet on hairline cracks of old.
Dry mouth, cold sweat - eternity in an instant!
Fingers close; weight shifts in an effortless flow.
The hawk's eye sparkles gold.

In that moment he is most alive.
Technique, training, rope and gear
Designed and placed to dim the danger.
Yet at that moment most dear
Reason cannot move him forward.
Fear, desire and trust combine,
Shifting his being into a higher gear.

Now he is safe at the top,
His partner can clear the way
Up to the summit
For a very brief stay.
The sun is setting on the hawk's terrain
A sigh of contentment from all that remain
The climbers will return for another day.