Diamond Head

Outside of a dark tunnel, a small group of us lineup
under stars that glitter in the early morning sky.
The traffic light changes from red to green
and as if off to war, we're marching — left, right, left!
The ghost of intimidation haunts me during this trek.
My legs are heavy and my lungs burn through my chest.
If only I could stop, take a second to catch my breath
but I've fallen too far behind the crowd, I'm in distress.
Do I give up and just turn back around?
The trail in front of me is steep, it'll be easier to hike down.
Or shall I push forward and be willing to take a risk?
It's only after the sun has long ago peaked over the horizon
that I reach the top of the diamond's head.
People congratulate me and use my camera to capture
the moment slow and steady won the race
and I can't help but to salute myself
because I got here at my own pace.