I’m the pea-sized nub you have to
cling to while performing a split
to reach a toehold. I’m the alternative
to scaling glass-slick faces.
Remember that you twice rehearsed
the vertical slab called Freeblast,
and your intuition hasn’t become
lunacy. You still believe in
climbing El Capitan alone,
without a rope, palming
the wall until your eyes drain
of warmth. You’re prepared
for the bees, frogs, and birds
that burst from crevices
as you pop your foot to complete
your practiced choreography.
