Free at last! III

ten thousand years since glaciers cleft its face
the granite of Yosemite's pristine.
No longer slogging up at Harding's pace, 
this generation likes its climbing clean.
Lynn Hill debuted the new way on the Nose
although deplorables still lean on aid.
Each year, a new "impossible line" goes
and--incrementally--progress gets made.
Now Alex went free-solo up el-Cap;
vicariously, millions share his win.
Between us and young Honnold yawns a gap
meticulously filmed by Jimmy Chin.
Sang-froid! Just skills and chalk and shoes and wall
as we suppress the prospect of a fall

Free at last! II

ten thousand years since glaciers milled its face
the granite of el-Capitan's pristine.
No longer slogging up at Harding's pace, 
this generation likes its climbing clean.
Lynn Hill debuted the new way on the Nose
although deplorables still lean on aid.
Each year, a new "impossible line" goes
and--incrementally--progress gets made.
Now Alex went free-solo up el-Cap;
vicariously, millions share his win.
Between us and young Honnold yawns a gap
meticulously filmed by Jimmy Chin.
Apotheosis! The iconic wall
bows to the hero who would risk it all.

free at last!

ten thousand years since glaciers milled its face
the granite of el-Capitan's pristine.
No longer slogging up at Harding's pace, 
this generation likes its climbing clean.
Lynn Hill debuted the new way on the Nose
although deplorables still lean on aid.
Each year, a new "impossible line" goes
and--incrementally--progress gets made.
Now Alex went free-solo up el-Cap;
vicariously, millions share his win.
Between us and young Honnold yawns a gap
meticulously filmed by Jimmy Chin.
A rock-star owning the iconic wall
as we suppress the prospect of a fall

another's life

Joe Simpson's touched the void, but hasn't died
vicariously, we enjoy the tale
of hauling his ass off that mountainside
where normal actuary tables fail
alone, without support, he had to cope
back down to basecamp where his own tracks led
pursuing Simon who had cut the rope
believing, in good faith, he must be dead
exquisite storytelling makes one feel
experiences by the climber's lights
emotional responses can be real
although you've sat at home, and shunned the heights
mortality imbues this life with zest
but someone else's near-miss--that's the best

so free

Lynn Hill free-climbed the Nose of Capitan
where Warren Harding toiled with bolts and tools
surpassing the best done by any man
as if the gods of yesteryear were fools

no etriers or fixed ropes bore her weight
her gear was just protection from a fall
as she surpassed the Valley's climbing greats
in feats of steely fingers on the Wall

if now a soloist forsakes the rope
does he serve progress? Or embrace despair?
in pressing upwards does he misplace hope
departing Mother Earth to tread on air?

his fanbase watches Honnold climb and sighs
but Alex grabs the gusto ere he dies

rock on

I'm afraid this one makes hash of the history

first sun that warms el Capitan each day
must glint on bolt-stubs Royal Robbins chopped
reminders as they slowly rust away
of Harding's ego's size before it popped
but Robbins still relied on climbing aid
repeating the Dawn Wall by Harding's route
until Lynn Hill would  knock it down a grade
all dreams of climbing free there had seemed moot
a woman's hands brought more than strength and knack
to climbs that stumped the masters at that game
to bear her weight in vanishing-thin cracks
would put her muscled Camp-Four mates to shame

if Honnold would now climb it without gear
must we conclude he's wholly without fear?