Portage to the Past

Portage Lake, Alaska --- upon return of attempting the portage.

Portage to the Past


pulled and polled towards the pass
huffing and puffing, squinting in the sun
this portage used by the Real People

imagined that I was not pulling my child
in a pulk of plastic, synthetic,
refined metal

instead he rides in the wood
and hide frame on my back

babiche and birch snowshoes
not Rossignol and Swix
moose and caribou
for Smartwool and GoreTex

at the base of the last step
we turned back
too steep to continue

thwarted by fear
disinclined by the incline
no inclination to pass the pass

there would be no portage for us

a portage to a different land
a portage to the past