Sisyphus Rising

Falling fast into the claws and

Ravenous jaws of the looming,

Ever-present machine feels all but inevitable.

Each of our steps is a backslide

Down the mountain like Sisyphus. It is

Only when we come to rest in the valley

Mired in grime and covered

In scars,

Some silver with age

And others fresh and pink

Like the tender flesh below, do we realize

It could never be done. Still, we must

Entertain the hope, the dream of

Better days. For where, if not

Under crushing pressure, does

The diamond form?

In the shadow of

The mountain, just beyond the peak,

Do you see the promised land

Of which the elders speak?

Eager to fulfill the destinies we

So desperately pursue, we must admit that

No one can accomplish such a daunting

Task alone. We must work together to

Have a chance

At overcoming the impossible;

Vanquishing this evil will take

Every single Sisyphus working in

Tandem. Together we can move the mountain itself.

Only when we combine our strengths can we

Become the mighty force that

Even Zeus must gaze upon it with awe and fear.

*******

Originally penned for a contest under the theme of freedom, this acrostic free verse poem explores the concept through the lens of a hopeful cynic. If you enjoyed this poem's contradictory perspective, you might enjoy Immortal Comfort or Internal Battle, which feature similarly conflicting points of view.