Love Poem: The Mountain Goat
Christine Phillips Avatar
Written by: Christine Phillips

The Mountain Goat

The noise aboard the motor boat reminds me that I was not alone
The high perspiration smell from the young couple sitting beside me
caused me to remember the green wood’s in Virginia and the squirrels
chasing each other up and down the tree in a love Frisbee
The boat glides through the green water leaving the fishy smell behind
But the weight was still floating in my mind as the noise fades slowly
I stared across the horizon looking at the distant before me
Thinking about the journey that have already been completed,
The battles that have been won and the final engagement
I came here to get away from everything but I still find myself thinking
I had the entire ocean to spread my bed and a quiet place to lay my head
It looked far but it was quite near and everything was within my reach
The boat bounced up and down the giant waves shifting my thoughts from place to place
While gray clouds hang over the colorless ocean and the heat descends upon
The little island saluting my hard earned victory
I felt like jumping out of the boat and swim across the ocean
The noise suddenly disappeared and the journey was coming to a close
I felt relaxed as I embarked upon Chicken Island
Yes that’s what it is called, Chicken Island, surrounded by a vast body of water
And little boats floating around the deep colorless sea
The thirty minutes ride did not worth the money, it was quite funny
These people really know how to make money
I bought another ticket and boarded the tour car to take me around the island
As I approached the steep hill I was greeted by a strange creature
It came slowly out of the bushes and stood on the rock, I tried to get a picture of it but it stared at me for a while and disappeared in the bushes
Yes it was a black goat with big horns. It appears and disappeared.
I finally made it to the top of the mountain
and quickly learned that it was the mountain goat
Its smell perfumed everywhere and its droppings was all around
but the goat was nowhere to be found
No one else saw the goat but they complained about its smell and residues
They searched everywhere but the goat was nowhere near
It came out to welcome me because it felt my spirit approaching the mountain
The mountain with all its decorative artifacts and natural habitats
Stood tall overlooking the big wide ocean and octopus Paul with
a black and white soccer ball fastened its tentacles
Stared through one of its eye with two fish standing on its side
Over on the other side the statue of  Buddha erected on a concreted block
turned its back to the sea and his eyes scrutinizing you and me.
And children lying in hammocks rocking to and fro
I want to walked down the steps to dip my feet in the salt water
But the entrance was blocked off 
I came this far and could not wet my feet in the ocean
I circled around and stood on a gigantic rock where the mountain goat hangs out. Its dung was around the rock and its smell saturated the atmosphere
I peered in the sea and try to unravel my destiny
and I felt  someone standing beside me
I felt deeply in love with somebody
So I stare and I stare but nobody was there
But I could sense a strong presence near me
Far beyond the ocean way out in the deep
Someone is waiting patiently for me
My heart is right and my spirit is strong
I am waiting for you to take my hand
I circled around the island then returned to town
Strange things happen  early in the morning
Strange things happen at noon
strange things happen in the evening
And some things can be quite revealing
I woke up this morning without a plan
To go on unannounced trip to Japan
But I found myself at the bus stop
Talking to a strange sixty six years man
He asked me where I come from
Then he looked at me up and down
And started to behave like a real clown
He rambled about his country’s problem
And talked passionately about his company forty-five years
Old employee early retirement scheme
It was shocking to hear that there was no job to spare
He babbled on and on and forcing me to respond
And alas! I started to speak as a native of the land
The bus took forever to come and I start to pace up and down
Listening to the man’s noisy chatter and saying yes to show politeness
A taxi stopped by requested to take me to my destination
I wasn’t in a hurry so I turned down the offer
Shortly after the bus came and I thought I would have
some peace but the man kept going deeper and deeper
He talked about history, war, wealth and poverty
He made me feel so unhappy
At last I reached my stop and finally the chatting ceased
I head towards the fishing port and the smell of fish
Tangled in the damped air rushed passed my nostril
I walked up to the sea side and I saw women scaling big fish
Just beside them was another woman with crates of big long fish
I sat on the back of a motorbike and went to the other side
And boarded the boat for Chicken Island
Strange things happen so keep your mind working
The mountain goat has its eyes fixed upon me and you
So be careful of what you do
Strange things happen!