Endless Time

Far down as far as
the eye can reach,
lies the valley floor.
From one peak the eye
sees a distance of
green meadow, while
nearer the granite
tumbles its presence
down the mountain slope,
and crevices where
summer-melt of
winter summit snowpack
has worked its skill in
forging mountain streams
and boulder-strewn
raceways bubbling and spuming,
thrusting and gurgling
down the mountain side
toward the river below,
where great erratics testify
to the terrifying power of
nature's design and the
implacability of endless time.