"Runner's Manifesto" poem by Jonah Pearson

Jonah Pearson and other students writes poems at The Spark's first poetry night of the year at Venture on King. The Spark hosts a poetry night each month where students read and discuss a theme poem, write a poem of their own, and share their poetry with the group. Photo credit: Adrienne Stumb

The trails used to be the home and chapel of the runner. Feet bare, leaves soft, a streak opposing the calm of early morning birds and sun. slowly as the roads kept moving like a steadily encroaching vine, tendrils turning to long mountain roads, snaking back to the highway. Now we trade the tranquility and peace of the forest for the horns and honks of noisy roads. The trails remain, outside the gates of traffic and grasp of efficiency. Light footfalls along quiet creeks have evolved and now are 120% more energy efficient and come with carbon plates. The sounds of the forest replaced with the cacophony of a hundred other people or tires hurtling down 421. There's something to be said for returning to those roots and allowing the soft sounds and smells of the morning to return, too.