Backwash

I am the Soul of a thousand deaths

With a thousand fears

But with a thousand ways to overcome them

Breakthrough Breed

The coolest cats on the planet come from hardy seed
They don't need a commercial to tell them what they need

They keep getting up after they fall on lead

They always choose the right passion to feed

We are frequently distracted as we toil and till

Like the one responsible for that oil spill

Quality and character cannot be reduced to a pill

Integrity and strength can be found in Lynn Hill

To others it is impossible, but it can be done

It's not always the most talented, but who has the most fun

If you are willing to spend 10,000 hours under the sun

You could make that breakthrough, you could be the One

Off-Width Crack

What would I do without my pack?
It is surgically attached to my back
Pouches and buckles it did not lack
I think I will name it Companion Jack

I always hike with Jack on my back
But as I leave stores I get some flack
It's not as if their computers I hack
Society sometimes won't cut you slack

To pay the bills I had to sell my rack
I lost what I had betting on the track
I was so distraught that I took some crack
That is how I ended up in the sack with Jack

"It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)"

Listening to the rapids while composing my rap
I'm very tired and feel a little like crap
This morning I drank the water from the outdoor tap
I think it made me sick cuz all I want to do is nap

Not having a mom to take care of you can be a drag
Moms can teach you not to hit, not to lie, and not to brag
Wherever I roam, the locals are generally nice
I've been lucky to hear all their motherly advice:

Hide your backpack and rope in the tall grassy field
Don't jump when the ranger taps on your windshield

While you sleep in your car, leave your keys in the ignition
You can get away faster, it's not superstition

Soak your achy limbs in Squaw Creek cuz it's like ice
Only spend your money on black beans and brown rice

Stay away from that creep who gave you a wink
Run like the wind and don't bother to think

If you are having trouble pretending to be strong
You can stay at my place and I won't ask you what's wrong

When people take the time to save me from insanity
It fills me with hope for all of humanity

I guess it takes a village to support this Stray Cat
To all the compassionate guardians out there, I tip my hat!

PS
The Depot will only sell you beer in a glass
Go to Deschutes Brewery for a pitcher
And they treat you with class

Partners

Call it Hawaiian affection, I have the gene
I don't climb with people who are terribly mean

Being a stray, I must keep my guard up
But if our eyes meet, you will hear a "Wazzup?"

Climbing partners are sometimes hard to find
I've been lucky so far cuz everyone's been kind

The guy who kept calling me "Dude" was wildly tame
He always had his mind on Mary Jane
(I think this is why he kept forgetting my name)

I remember the time I climbed with a serial killer
I thought that 20-foot whipper was the day's only thriller!

Then there was the one who thought she was running from the Feds
But actually she lost track of time and forgot to take her meds

I miss the guy who knew how to tape my hands so they no longer bled
He was a serious pothead, I hope he's not dead

To each and every partner who later became a friend
I will always support your life as if it was me on the sharp end

Shared Space

There's this place that I visit

When I want to cut the bullshit

No one judging what's wrong or right

Just fully living the day and night

Taking a break from the urge to self-criticize

Stripped naked of any deceiving disguise

Like getting into a boat that no longer floats

Even music is the rest between the notes

The only thing solid here is uncertainty

The rock and Being form a sacred unity

This shared space once physical

Transcends into the metaphysical

No escaping and no place to hide

Lean into the pain, are you up for the ride?

This place does not care if you stick the dyno

Ego is toxic like bat guano

This place is the hush between the chatter

At the end of the day, the result does not matter

For us to heal, we must feel our pain in another

Give kindness and care to the one who lost a brother

This place teaches me that I've always been whole

The thing I was searching for resides in my Soul

Ocean Plea

If you have an affection for both animal and tree
If you don't want an infection in your knee
If you enjoy diving, paddling, and surfing carefree
It is up to us to save our sea

Close Call

Breathe in peace, breathe out worry
I was climbing in such a hurry

I stopped tugging, tapping, and tracking
Unaware that a hold up above was cracking

I worn my kids about complacency
"Constant vigilance is a good place to be"

As usual I wasn't listening to my own advice
I was careless, reckless, and rolling the dice

When I got to the loose hold, I went for a ride
Felt like being caught in a surfing riptide

At first I was blaming the humidity
But honestly it was my own stupidity

I was lucky that day that I survived
My heart took awhile, but it revived

But now I tie in just to cross the street
And I won't take it for granted that we got to meet

Beyond the Northern Point

Solo

Yo yo

Where I go

Nobody will know

Spring Thing

I was sitting on a cliff at the Northern Point
Strumming my uke instead of smoking a joint
When I was asked by a dark and handsome dude
If I knew the tabs to the Beatles' Hey Jude

Normally I would shy away
But it's kinda lonely being a stray
So I let my guard down just for today
Even if he might later betray

I did not regret my decision to socialize
He liked me even without my disguise

We laughed and played by the fireside
We talked until the embers died
I found it hard to leave his side
I could not lie to him if I tried

How do I tell him I am damaged goods?
I belong to the Club of Stolen Childhoods
I could pretend that was never a part of me
Just rewrite my entire life herstory

I tried to keep it light to get my worries out of the way

"Let's climb tomorrow, I'll be your belay"
"I bought a slightly used grigri on eBay the other day"
I nervously started playing my ukulele

Then I shook my head and opened my eyes
Only then did I finally realize
This social interaction was not a real thing
But I still wonder what happened to my G string