Poetry Analysis

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Mountains

Original Poetry

Translation

Most people don't understand how hard it is to climb a mountain until they have to face one themselves

Most people don't realize how tough it is to climb a mountain until they face one themselves.

They push their doubts to the side and decide that the climb is short and easy

They ignore their doubts and think the climb will be quick and easy.

Like people don't die trying to make it to the tops.

As if people don't risk their lives trying to reach the top.

Most people climb a mountain once, maybe twice, many overcome them in a night.

Most people climb a mountain once or twice, some conquer it overnight.

And when they reach those heights, they almost never come down.

And when they reach the top, they rarely come back down.

There are some that climb mountains every day in every way shape and form

Some climb mountains every day in different ways.

Mountains that make Everest look small, so high above the clouds, you faint if you look down.

Mountains that make Everest seem small, so high above the clouds you might faint if you look down.

The winds are harsher the higher you go and so much air fills your lungs you feel like you’ll drown.

The higher you go, the harsher the winds, and you feel like you might drown in the air.

Finding your way back to the base of this mighty rock is a feat so much harder than climbing to the top.

Finding your way back down is much harder than climbing up.

You think you can reach it, your ego inflated so high that its impossible size looks small.

You think you can reach it, your ego so inflated that the mountain seems small.

You take one step and realize your hopes and dreams are so much further than you thought.

You take a step and realize your dreams are farther than you thought.

And the thought chills you to your core, so much you cant move your muscles to take another step.

The thought freezes you, so you can't take another step.

And that second step is the most important. Its the one that proves you can climb but it takes so much time to just move.

And that second step is crucial. It's the one that shows you can climb, but it takes time to move.

To make a choice.

To make a decision.

For your brain to decide that today WILL be the day you climb this mountain, and there's no snow or wind, or hail that will stop me.

For your mind to decide that today will be the day you climb, and nothing will stop you.

So you’ll grab your climbing gear, and your heart, and you go to that base and look up at the impossible mountain before you, and you take your first step and then you take your second!

So you grab your gear and your heart, look up at the mountain, and take your first and second steps!

You pick up your feet one by one gazing at the rising sun and one day you’ll realize that you're near the top!!

You move forward, watching the sun rise, and one day you'll find yourself near the top!

The scene is sensational!

The view is amazing!

You can see the clouds beneath you, all your trouble and fears and-!

You see the clouds below, all your fears and troubles.

You feel your feet slip, the ground seems to vanish from beneath you and in the blink of an eye you are back at the base of this mountain, heart broken once again.

But then you slip, and suddenly you're back at the base, heartbroken again.

You feel hopeless, you think this mountain is too tall and that every time you try you’ll fall so you don't try climbing anymore

You feel hopeless, thinking the mountain is too tall and you'll always fall, so you stop trying.

But you know that at the top of that mountain is a euphoria you won't get anywhere else,

But you know there's a joy at the top you can't find anywhere else.

A euphoria that you are so desperate to feel.

A joy you desperately want to feel.

So,

You get back on your own two feet and you grab your climbing gear and your broken heart and you try again

You stand up, grab your gear and broken heart, and try again.

You fall and climb and fall and climb until you're on the brink of losing your mind.

You fall and climb, fall and climb, almost losing your mind.

You watch as others climb mountains so quickly so easily, without an ounce of fear in their hearts and it discourages you.

You watch others climb easily and quickly, without fear, and it discourages you.

But you try and try again!

But you keep trying!

And one day, you see that horizon the clouds beneath you, your trouble and fears far down below

And one day, you see the horizon, clouds below, fears far beneath.

This time you won't fall, and as you reach that final stretch, you hold your breath as you reach that peak and all that you feared and every bit of sorrow in your heart dissipates into nothing as you relish in the victory of your labours!

This time you won't fall, and as you reach the final stretch, you hold your breath and reach the peak, all fears and sorrows vanish as you celebrate your victory!

You did it!

but your heart darkens as you gaze on what's before you,

But your heart sinks as you see

Another mountain,

another mountain,

A taller mountain,

A taller one,

One that makes the one you just climbed look small.

That makes the last one seem small.

You think your hearts to fragile to climb this one,

You think your heart is too fragile for this one,

That you barely survived your first and that you surely wont survive your second.

That you barely survived the first and won't survive the second.

You know that there is probably an even taller mountain to climb after you climb this one!

You know there might be an even taller mountain after this.

You don't know when the mountains will end, how many you must peak before youre on top of the world.

You don't know when the mountains will end, how many you must climb to be on top of the world.

But

You know the feeling of reaching those peaks will be even greater than the feeling you feel now!

You know the joy of reaching the peaks will be greater than what you feel now!

So you find the base of this mighty rock

So you find the base of this mighty rock,

your ego inflated so high that its impossible size looks small

Your ego so inflated that its size seems small.

You take one step and realize that this climb will be so much harder than the first.

You take a step and realize this climb will be harder than the first.

So,

You fall and climb and fall and climb until you're on the brink of losing your mind.

You fall and climb, fall and climb, almost losing your mind.

You carry your broken heart with you the whole way.

You carry your broken heart the whole way.

Most people don't understand how hard it is to climb a mountain, until they have to climb one themselves.

Most people don't realize how tough it is to climb a mountain until they face one themselves.

What you think is easy, may be near impossible for someone else.

What seems easy to you might be nearly impossible for someone else.

Like reading this poem in front of class, is a mountain,

Like reading this poem in front of a class is a mountain,

A mountain I’ve conquered at last.

A mountain I've finally conquered.

Explanation

This poem uses the metaphor of mountain climbing to explore the challenges and struggles people face in life. Each mountain represents a personal obstacle or goal, and the act of climbing symbolizes the effort and determination required to overcome these challenges. The poem emphasizes the difficulty of these endeavors, highlighting the persistence needed to keep trying despite setbacks and failures. It also touches on the feelings of discouragement when comparing oneself to others who seem to achieve their goals effortlessly. Ultimately, the poem conveys a message of resilience and the importance of perseverance, as the satisfaction of reaching one's goals is portrayed as a unique and rewarding experience. The poem concludes with the realization that challenges are ongoing, and each conquered mountain is followed by another, yet the joy of achievement makes the struggle worthwhile.

Word Dictionary10

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
conquered	defeated, overcome	successfully overcame	kon-kerd
euphoria	intense happiness, joy	great joy	yoo-for-ee-uh
sensational	amazing, impressive	very exciting	sen-say-shuh-nal
dissipates	disappears, vanishes	goes away	dis-uh-payts
fragile	delicate, weak	easily breakable	fraj-uhl
ego	self-esteem, self-importance	self-worth	ee-goh
perseverance	persistence, determination	keep trying	pur-suh-veer-uhns
obstacle	barrier, hurdle	block	ob-stuh-kuhl
inflated	swollen, enlarged	made bigger	in-flay-tid
resilience	toughness, endurance	bounce back	ri-zil-yuhns

Poet & Context

Poet—

EraContemporary

The poet of this piece is unknown, but the style and themes suggest a contemporary writer, possibly exploring personal challenges and resilience.

WhenUnknown, likely contemporary

WhyThe poem uses the metaphor of mountain climbing to explore personal challenges, resilience, and the human spirit's capacity to overcome obstacles.

FormFree verse

Themes & More

Themes

PerseveranceResilienceChallengesPersonal Growth

Literary devices

Metaphor: The entire poem uses mountain climbing as a metaphor for life's challenges.Imagery: Descriptive language creates vivid images of climbing mountains and the associated struggles.Repetition: The phrase 'fall and climb' emphasizes the ongoing struggle and effort.Personification: The mountains are given human-like qualities, representing personal challenges.