Mountains by Unknown — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

Mountains Most people don't understand how hard it is to climb a mountain until they have to face one themselves They push their doubts to the side and decide that the climb is short and easy Like people don't die trying to make it to the tops. Most people climb a mountain once, maybe twice, many overcome them in a night. And when they reach those heights, they almost never come down. There are some that climb mountains every day in every way shape and form Mountains that make Everest look small, so high above the clouds, you 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. Finding your way back to the base of this mighty rock is a feat so much harder than climbing to the top. You think you can reach it, your ego inflated so high that its impossible size looks small. You take one step and realize your hopes and dreams are so much further than you thought. And the thought chills you to your core, so much you cant move your muscles to 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. To make a choice. 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. 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! 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!! The scene is sensational! You can see the clouds beneath you, all your trouble and fears and-! 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. 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 But you know that at the top of that mountain is a euphoria you won't get anywhere else, A euphoria that you are so desperate 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 fall and climb and fall and climb until you're on the brink of 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. But you try and try again! And one day, you see that horizon the clouds beneath you, your trouble and fears far down below 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! You did it! but your heart darkens as you gaze on what's before you, Another mountain, A taller mountain, One that makes the one you just climbed look small. You think your hearts to fragile to climb this one, That you barely survived your first and that you surely wont survive your second. You know that there is probably an even taller mountain to climb after you climb this one! You don't know when the mountains will end, how many you must peak before youre on top of the world. But You know the feeling of reaching those peaks will be even greater than the feeling you feel now! So you find the base of this mighty rock your ego inflated so high that its impossible size looks small You take one step and realize that this climb will be so much harder than the first. So, You fall and climb and fall and climb until you're on the brink of losing your mind. You carry your broken heart with you the whole way. Most people don't understand how hard it is to climb a mountain, until they have to climb one themselves. What you think is easy, may be near impossible for someone else. Like reading this poem in front of class, is a mountain, A mountain I’ve conquered at last.

Translation (English)

Mountains Most people don't realize how tough it is to climb a mountain until they face one themselves. They ignore their doubts and think the climb will be quick and easy. As if people don't risk their lives trying to reach the top. Most people climb a mountain once or twice, some conquer it overnight. And when they reach the top, they rarely come back down. Some climb mountains every day in different ways. Mountains that make Everest seem small, so high above the clouds you might faint if you look down. The higher you go, the harsher the winds, and you feel like you might drown in the air. Finding your way back down is much harder than climbing up. You think you can reach it, your ego so inflated that the mountain seems small. You take a step and realize your dreams are farther than you thought. The thought freezes you, so you can't take another step. And that second step is crucial. It's the one that shows you can climb, but it takes time to move. To make a decision. For your mind to decide that today will be the day you climb, and nothing will stop you. So you grab your gear and your heart, look up at the mountain, and take your first and second steps! You move forward, watching the sun rise, and one day you'll find yourself near the top! The view is amazing! You see the clouds below, all your fears and troubles. But then you slip, and suddenly you're back at the base, heartbroken again. You feel hopeless, thinking the mountain is too tall and you'll always fall, so you stop trying. But you know there's a joy at the top you can't find anywhere else. A joy you desperately want to feel. So, You stand up, grab your gear and broken heart, and try again. You fall and climb, fall and climb, almost losing your mind. You watch others climb easily and quickly, without fear, and it discourages you. But you keep trying! And one day, you see the horizon, clouds below, fears far beneath. 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 sinks as you see another mountain, A taller one, That makes the last one seem small. You think your heart is too fragile for this one, That you barely survived the first and won't survive the second. You know there might be an even taller mountain after this. 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 joy of reaching the peaks will be greater than what you feel now! So you find the base of this mighty rock, Your ego so inflated that its size seems small. You take a step and realize this climb will be harder than the first. So, You fall and climb, fall and climb, almost losing your mind. You carry your broken heart the whole way. Most people don't realize how tough it is to climb a mountain until they face one themselves. What seems easy to you might be nearly impossible for someone else. Like reading this poem in front of a class is a mountain, A mountain I've finally conquered.

About the Poet

Unknown (Contemporary)

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

Historical Context

Literary Form: Free verse
When Written: Unknown, likely contemporary
Background: The poem uses the metaphor of mountain climbing to explore personal challenges, resilience, and the human spirit's capacity to overcome obstacles.

Sources: https://providerwave.com/how-hard-is-it-to-climb-timgoraho-mountain/, https://www.tranquilkilimanjaro.com/how-hard-is-climbing-kilimanjaro/

Detailed 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.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
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