I walked down a hill
got to the bottom
and realized—
this was the best walk I’ve ever had.

Most of that was because
it was all downhill.
I don’t like to exert myself.
I decided to live forever
at the bottom of that hill
and enjoy that good memory
for the rest of my life.

Now when it rains
I get a little boat
and let the water
take me where it will.
When the sun sets
behind the hills
it never existed for me.

You speak of birds.
I do not know what they are.
They may exist above my view
which never deviates
from keeping
the earth
in focus.

Eventually
I forget what it was like
to know of higher elevations—
that moment passes by,
unmarked.