You Hills have limits –
sides, slopes, summits –
I can measure and master
by muscle and mechanics.
Not so you, Winds:
without edges or apex
surrounding me, pounding me
tirelessly, full in the face.
But I’ll fight you –
together or one at a time –
with rage and resolve and refusal to quit
wherever, whenever you like.
Better you –
with your physics and physical pain
suffering to savour like single malt scotch
that ends when my feet touch the ground –
than the figments and phantoms
that stalk me inside
and I cannot outride, outwit or defeat
with training, or talent, or time.
Gonecycling (again) 
Hurray for you Nick!
Thank you, John. Have to confess this kind of fighting talk is a lot easier to back up now I have a really good electric bike… 🙂
Love this imagery!
Thank you, Rachel, and lovely to hear from you as always. I wrote this yesterday when I was out doing battle with hills, wind, biblical cloudbursts and flooded, muddy roads – everything summer riding shouldn’t be, even in England! But I enjoy it, really, and need it, too: it’s hard to think about and dwell on things with all that going on. Hope all’s well with you. N.
The one thing that has always amazed me…is that the wind which should now be at my back has changed direction to punish me even more on my ride home…I now understand those old comments about “an evil wind”. 🙂
Glad it’s not just me…the wind has been particularly spiteful here of late. Plenty of toiling on ‘the invisible hill’ when it ought to be speeding me homewards!