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Canto I

Long had I imagined ascending this mountainous peak,
Believing the experience might enrich me spiritually
And become the catalyst to something far greater.

It was the highest of the English mountains
And the grandest shape land could form,
And in its presence I cautiously approached it.

I climbed its slopes of loose, broken stones:
Lying warm before the dipping rose-hued sun;
A mountain surrounded by a glowing sunlit haze.

A summit of stone that held no welcome;
A visible warning to any encroachment from determined feet:
This lonely place so bare of living warmth.

And there I stood: the summit, tinted deeply,
The horizon before me, mystical and ablaze,
Its profound beauty touched me deeply and impressed.

This moment of elevation triggered a joyful realization:
I had reached my goal: nowhere was higher,
And accomplishment washed over me in steady waves.

My emotional eyes turned toward the evening sky:
Upwards, to the very roof of the world
Where the intensity of the light was less.

In time, a multitude of stars would appear
And pass over the mountain, like a river:
Sparkling in the nocturnal silence as it flowed.

'It's beautiful, isn't it?' said a voice,
Which seemed to originate from the very air:
A voice, sylph-like, emerging from the surrounding brilliance.

I turned my eyes to the glorious horizon
And in the glow before me, stood a woman
Alone and as beautiful as the setting sun.

Young was her face and slender was her form:
A woman who held herself tall and gracefully
Who appeared like a benevolent angel, recently descended.

And as she faced me, so it seemed
A halo, pure in light, shone around her
As if the very sun desired to embrace her.

She smiled warmly at me with infinite kindness
And stepped toward me, clothed in suitable attire
And I, somewhat moved, marvelled at her appearance.

In her bearing, I perceived an underlying confidence:
An inner reserve of strength contained within her
That aroused my curiosity, quickening my interest further.

'Never have I beheld a sky so beautiful,' she said.
Her words filled the summit's silence with sweetness
And filled my heart with joy and delight.

'It seems we both timed the moment perfectly,'
I replied, surprisingly shy, slightly in awe of her,
'for we are the only ones to witness this.'

She smiled again, in her charming graceful way,
And just for a moment I thought I
Glimpsed a light, a sparkle, in her eyes.

'Two souls upon a mountain,' she said happily,
'This beauty is just for us, it seems.
Congratulations on making it this far.'

'Thank you,' I said. 'But the descent beckons
And I am not prepared for a night,
Not on this lofty windswept summit of stones.'

'But the night can be just as beautiful
As the changeable delights of the sun-blessed day,'
Said the woman, in a pleasant, affable voice.

'If you remain with me on this mountain
I will care for you and shelter you.
Will you place your trust in me?'

Studying the sincerity in her deep brown eyes
And noting the surprising openness and friendliness
Which emanated from this kind soul of earth,

I smiled warmly and accepted her cordial invitation;
And introducing myself properly to this woman
We conversed happily and easily for a time.

Her name was Cassandra: a pleasant name indeed:
Like the prophetess and princess from ancient Greece
Who foretold the truth, but was never believed.

Thirty-nine years Cassandra had lived and breathed:
Walking among us with her gracious, youthful looks,
Ever preserving in beauty her eternal soul within.

I told her how young she appeared for her age,
An age in which her attractiveness had defied
The effects of time and shielded her well.

In response to my words, she smiled appreciatively
And happily reached out to touch my hand
And communicated through the benevolence of her eyes.

We watched in silence the splendour of the world
As the sky seemed to flare with greater luminosity:
A splendid panorama that would forever be remembered.

Sometime later, when all the intensity and beauty
Had waned and had passed beyond the horizon
Cassandra led me toward a sheltered place.

Advancing with caution, we moved towards the east:
Each step for us was a potential hazard;
Where one slip could break this happy mood.

'It wouldn't surprise me if, very long ago,
The heavens once rained this terrible stone here
In an ancient event, truly terrible and apocalyptic.'

'There is certainly enough of it,' said Cassandra.
'Tell me: why did you come here, today?
Was it merely coincidence or was it fate?'

'I felt I had to be here,' I replied.
'By coming here, I believed I would find truth:
A revelation, or some kind of meaningful answer.'

'You're not contented, are you, Mark?' said Cassandra
With an acuity of understanding that impressed me.
'Tell me what you really yearn for the most?'

And as the twilight gave way to night
I talked of that which lay heaviest upon my heart
And later, sensing a growing affinity with Cassandra,

I entrusted my story to her, truly conveyed:
My journey through life: an encapsulation of events
With every moment worthy of articulation and tears.

When I was done, she hugged me and said:
'We will wake together, here, on the mountain,
With the light of the rising sun upon us.

Verily, the world can appear confusing and cruel
And the happenings of people can appear gravely unjust,
But please do not feel apart from the living.

I know how you feel; and even though
We have only this day met, it feels
As if our souls are somehow already acquainted.'

Her words had a comforting tone that soothed
Like compassion and the greatest form of kindness.
I was too moved to say another word.

We sat close together, out of the wind:
Wrapped in blankets so gently and considerately placed;
Our backs resting comfortably against the old dry stones.

The stars displayed their celestial brilliance to us:
We looked upward with undisguised wonder and delight
Beneath the lofty firmament through which they travelled.

Glad was I that I had such company
And in my heart I treasured the stars
Even though their light would fade by dawn.

And as I turned to look at Cassandra
Beholding her graceful profile in the enchanting starlight,
So her beauty seemed enhanced by night's occurrence.

And in my mind, as hours slowly passed,
And the quietness of the mountain encroached again,
So sleep came upon us and encouraged rare dreams.

 

Canto II

When the dawn arrived with its glorious light
Cassandra woke me gently with the lightest touch
And on my awakening, I beheld the world anew.

She drew me closer to keep me warm
And finding myself in such affectionate contact
Against her gracious form, so I welcomed it,

And, like a man who has been without love
For longer than should ever be realistically expected
It was as if my heart sighed in grateful silence,

And exchanging a look with her, I saw
That in her heart, she too had found
A soul that spoke with the same harmony.

And as the sun rose to warm the world,
So Cassandra asked me to descend with her
To return again to the theatre of life.

Birds sang as we walked down the mountain
And finding our pace being perfectly matched
Our hands clasped instinctively in companionable innocence.

Each stride felt effortless and light as the air;
Gentle easterly breezes touched our happy, illuminated faces;
The sky: breathed down its ethereal sweetness upon us.

This was a new day: a day of change;
Cassandra was the catalyst that I had required,
And in her company I would find my transformation.

With respect, I turned to look at her:
Her long brown hair flowed naturally around her:
Loose and sinuous and worn free from constraint.

How I longed to stroke her perfect hair,
Such exquisite silk to frame a flawless face;
How I admired her and recognized her beauty.

Eventually, we left the mountain to its solitude
Bathed in the glorious brightness of the sun
And walked toward a town, where Cassandra resided.

The town was small, old and very busy,
And as we walked along its primary route
So a number of people warmly greeted Cassandra;

And among such friendly smiles and familiar greetings
She spoke to them with affection and consideration
And in her manner I perceived her quality.

And remaining quiet, I silently observed her communicate
To people whom she was clearly acquainted with:
For in their faces, I sensed a gladness;

And from their recognition and obvious friendship
Clear it became that they loved her also;
And this love was permeated greatly with kindness.

Noting my quietness, Cassandra introduced me to them
But sensing a sudden, reserved impression in me
She said farewell and kindly led me away.

'Your disposition is towards quietness,' she observed acutely;
'But do not worry or feel unease because of this;
As the words you speak will always be relevant,

And I will not think any less of you
If you hesitate in the company of others
When they themselves might speak much more freely.

Sometimes, I welcome moments of silence during conversation;
Too often, people feel obliged to fill it with sound:
The chatter of small talk, incessant and hurried.

To them, silence is awkward and acutely embarrassing,
Born from a kind of cultural self-consciousness;
But there is no real pressure to speak;

For silence allows us brief and precious moments
In which to take a pause and to reflect.
The right words come in their own good time.'

Cassandra led me towards a place of peace,
Where the dead lay undisturbed in complete quietness,
In graves set among the flowers and trees.

She paused beside one of the many graves
And bowed her head toward the hallowed earth
In silent grief, long since wept from her.

'I was married once, long ago, said Cassandra.
'I believed love would answer and bring me joy;
But joy was brief and followed by sorrow.

Here my husband lies, a soldier of England,
Who died bravely, in a desert, far away,
Far from his home where he was loved.

He died in battle, where man fought man,
Following the orders of those who are superior:
So-called leaders whose decisions affect the many.

War brings out the darkest passions in men,
And from conflict arises suffering, fear and destruction,
And in that arena my love was doomed.

I was once lost, as you are now;
So it is my wish to guide you:
Back to a path where happiness can manifest.'

Cassandra turned her gaze towards me and smiled:
'Will you consider me your guide?' she asked:
'Will you allow me to bring you some light?'

'Yes: with all my heart, yes,' I answered.
And I held her hand, out of respect,
Sensing of the heartache that she had endured.

'You are indeed a shining example of fortitude,'
I told her, 'and by your steady resolve
I would surely be transformed by your guidance.

I am appreciative of your sensibilities and compassion;
For too long the years have slipped by
Like empty pages lost in a tragic wind;

I have allowed the steady passing of time
To slip past without making the least impression
And many days have been offered to me;

And in life, we are only offered once
Those finite number of days and precious years.
How I have wasted my life,' I reflected:

'If you had not spoken to me yesterday
I would still be without a worthy purpose;
And without a purpose, any man is lost.'

Cassandra placed her hand gently on my heart:
'No man is lost forever: to wander alone;
Remember: you have just been found,' she smiled.

'When I saw you upon the mountain's summit
I sensed something in you,' she said, with tenderness:
'that had at its essence an appealing attractiveness;

And seeing you in awe of the light
Which, in that moment, blazed steadily upon the mountain,
I wanted to know what brought you there.

Was there an influence that steered you? I wondered:
Some external prompting, driven by the mysterious soul,
That led you to where I would be?

Were you a kindred spirit, to be acknowledged:
Travelling the same wave upon which I swim:
A lover of the poetic, that beautifies all things?

A man moved by the profound, the spiritual:
Moved by tears that could gild the heavens,
Or stirred by compassion through the greatest altruism?'

I mused on her words for a time,
And as I pondered on the constructs of fate
And possible forces behind the shaping of events,

So I formed my answer, my earnest reply;
And to this gracious lady, who stood so close,
Who expressed her wonderful sensitivity for the spiritual,

I said: 'The attractiveness you sensed is harmony,
Which is the elixir within the perfect idyll;
Where man and woman relate unseen, without word,

And through their minds and emotional hearts
They discover a deep affection that binds them
Which draws them together and establishes an understanding;

And if such understanding can be achieved wordlessly
Then surely true compatibility is formed from intuition
From the sensitivity of the soul as it whispers of love.

And though you once knew the deepest love
As it blazed briefly from the greatest candle
That was ever lit in your entire life,

Perhaps another candle has appeared, just as white,
And within its flame you see its comfort
Which now spreads a warmth towards your heart.'

Cassandra smiled, touched by my words and insight,
And led me gently away, with respectful dignity,
From the place where tears will always be shed.

 

Written by Mark Woollacott
August 2009