Acrophobia

I was excited;

perhaps too excited,

but scared -

and the fear of failure leaped faster than

the pace of my beating heart.

I wanted the world to know just

what I was about to do.

600 feet in the air,

cool breezes and an unbearable sun -

no one else but trees

and the rushing brook were

spectators to the eminent plunge.

The bubbling water  below

assured me that I would make it through

a hero-

if not for myself, at least for my dreams

which stood pasted at the door

ears piqued, eyes wide open 

wondering when any

of my legion of fears

would break the tethered rope

and prevent me from meeting

face to face

the master of my fears.