Life presents a series of stumbling blocks
Endless obstacles in our paths
Perpetually climbing, seeking
Seemingly unattainable heights
Up stairs jagged, narrow, steep
Imposing boundaries that hold us down
Keeping us from reaching, narrowing
Our options until we fit some mold
Pre-determining our destination
Before we reach the next level
Possibly clearing the way for more
Blinding us to our own potential
I was walking down the street in Juneau when I happened to see this series of diagonal lines climbing the hillside out of the corner of my eye. I had planned to snap a photo of it anyway, but once I realized it was a ramp, I knew it would inspire a poem at some point.
If you like this ekphrastic poem, check out (and follow) this entire blog for more examples of poems inspired by photos I’ve taken while traveling with my mom to check off her bucket list.
https://bisabelwrites.com/chasing-sunset-a-travelogue-in-poetry/