I saw the Old Man in the Mountain the year before the five
granite cliff ledges giving form to face collapsed.
It was Autumn 2002 and the trees up at the notch were bare,
although within the valley further north the foliage was peak.
Still, the drab surroundings only made the rock face more
prolific in its inspiration, as if a vision will only come alive
completely unattached and otherworldly in the murky night
when sleep has overcome the colors of our daydream.
The overall effect was honestly phenomenal! But next summer
when I visited again the site I saw an even greater revelation.
There in crystal skies is surfacing the Old Man’s original
face.