Scale a Mountain

The mountaineer defies the law
that Newton brought to light;
the struggle is both tooth and claw
transcending noble height.

He inches up the mountain's face,
his caution is his skill;
high in the solitude of space,
heart full of game and will.

Earth calls to us, and so we stand,
each measured step a sign;
effective is the mind of man
emerging all through time.

And so the mountaineer is bold
among the peril and sting;
against the height, though hard and cold,
another man is king.

[Rhythm: 8-6-8-6] (Lines: 16)
Rhyme: ABAB
Form: Trolaan

Trolaan is an interesting form created by Valerie Peterson Brown. It consists of four quatrains (a stanza of four lines, each line having a similar number of syllables). Each line of the quatrain begins with the same letter and the rhyme scheme is abab.

Starting with the second stanza you use the second letter of the first line of the first stanza to start each line of the second stanza.

On the third stanza you will use the second letter on the first line of the second stanza to begin each line of the third stanza.

On the fourth stanza you will use the second letter on the first line of the third stanza to begin each line of the fourth stanza.