Colored Shoelaces Poised on the edge of the canyon rim, Boots with multi-colored shoelaces, I see the steep trail just ahead. Why does anyone want such a challenge? No answer finds me. One step at a time, Onto the vast colorful canvas. Climbing over a small rockslide I stand on a narrow ledge In the upper layers of the Supai formation. My shoulder brushes the canyon wall. A gentle wind washes over me Rubbing my skin with sun warmed dust. At a Grotto-like rest stop I remove my pack Letting blood flow again Past where the straps dug in. I thrill to the sharp contrast The smallness of myself, And the vastness of the canyon. I dwelled for each instant On this path My surroundings, colored laces, steps, breath, Were marked with a joy of being. Is that the reason for this hike? The cadence of life Prick me with pleasure. I sling the pack up onto my back, Walk out on the ledge leading deeper into the canyon. Colors blend into a fantasy of shades, Competing with my boot-laces. Each hue evokes brushes of pleasure That paints my inner canvas. The steeper the way The narrower the ledge. Both work in harmony to challenge passage. The vertical wall gives way To a riotous grouping of rocks. The way twists and falls into faults. Awkward footing and boulder size obstacles The more difficult the trail the greater the pleasure. The secret cadence of nature Pierce me with enchantment. I am covered With a fine mauve limestone dust. My colored shoelaces have become a dull blood red. My boots match the terrain. Am I becoming a part of the canyon? Working my way down the skirt of fallen chasm sides, Like a ballerina’s tutu, It flares out from a sensuous body. I walk the folds and ridges always heading down Away from the canyon Red-wall Riding the flowing movements of the dancer. The canyon is alive and I am dancing with it.