Dark, dark night

The other week, as I was hiking, the darkness caught up to me. I was reminded of the poem "The Journey" by Mary Oliver, of which here is an excerpt:

Though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

...

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own...

(Full version here or here.)

An internal journey can sometimes be like going through the dark of the night. A headlamp is useful. I usually have mine in my camera bag, as I like to be prepared. This time the dark snuck up on me - oops. Next time...