Pitchoff Cliff

We aimed to leave our home at nine

or quarter past at least,

but rarely do we leave on time.

It was ten o'clock out east.

We were to climb a big rock wall,

then down into a cave.

Helmets, headlamps, ropes and all,

Sara, Ellie, Zach and Dave.

We trekked to the base and pulled out our gear:

the harness...the 'beaner...the sack...

Dave led us up with no sign of fear

and we followed him up the crack.

We paused in the crack to admire the view

and scouted the hole to the cave.

One was a little bit frightened, it's true,

but not Ellie, Zach or Dave.

Dave was the first to descend the crevasse,

while the rest of us watched him grow smaller.

The hole was no more than six inches across,

and twenty yards deep, maybe taller.

He disappeared into the groove

with only a tiny lamp,

wedged tightly - barely able to move

and freezing from the damp.

He yelled and it sounded so far away,

we thought he might be gone,

but he shouted "Hey guys! I am okay!"

so we knew that we were wrong.

He made himself a pulley

and we hoisted him back out.

He said "I enjoyed that fully!

That's what I'm talkin' about!"

"Who's next?" he asked, and pointed to Zach.

"It's right up your alley!" he said.

Zach wanted to try, as a matter of fact

and decided to go right ahead.

We lowered him down to the bottomless pit.

He got a little stuck.

He didn't have fun and was done with it

so then we cranked him back up.

He said "Ellie, don't do it" and Sara was freaked,

and everyone was cold.

The cave wasn't all it was cracked up to be

it turns out, after all was told.

When we rappelled down, now that was a blast

just hanging in the air.

You could choose to go slow and make it last

or zip down as fast as you dare.

Zach and Dave are asleep, it's the dead of night,

but we must stay up and drive this time.

We sit here brainstorming with all of our might

to think of words that rhyme.