Hammerhorn Mountain

by Garry Gay, John Thompson, and Michael Dylan Welch

First published in Hammerhorn Lake (Foster City, California: Press Here, 1995) by Garry Gay, John Thompson, and Michael Dylan Welch. Written 3–4 September 1994 on a camping trip at Hammerhorn Lake, California. Hammerhorn Mountain is a 7,543-foot (2,299-meter) peak in Trinity County. We climbed to the top of this peak, where the remains of an old fire lookout tower gave us views to the Sierras far to the east, and even to Mt. Shasta to the north. + +

mountain trail—

the woodpecker’s music

ends at the tree line Garry

grasshopper riding

on the brim of his hat John

cloudless sky—

thistle-down

over the summit Michael

wind picking up the sound

of the rock slide Garry

weighing

a heart-shaped stone

to carry home John

three hikers

in the mountain’s shadow Michael