I practised hard
and got in shape
to do the 199 steps
for when I was
on holiday in Whitby.
I wanted to see
the famous Abbey
on top of the cliff.
Every day I climbed the dune
behind our house
and after some months,
it was time to go
across the North Sea.
Panting and heroic
on the first day there
I went all the way up;
to find there’s a bus stop
near to the Abbey.
I realized though
it was doing the steps
all of them, one by one
that had been goal
and it was done.
It’s not the destination
but the journey that counts.
Still, it makes sense perhaps
to be prepared
for setbacks on my road.
I can’t expect a good view
from no matter which top
when my own mist is dense.
The picture of the 199 steps in Whitby (UK) was made by David Agnew (Belfast David) , thank you for the permission to use it here! 🙂
Ina 
Comments on: "199 steps" (12)
It’s good to read something poetic about the North East of England – too often gets a bad press! I like the metaphor of “mental mist” – allusions to another town in the North East – the fog on the Tyne? thanks once again Ina
Hi Colin, thank you very much for reading my posting 🙂 That part of the world is very poetic to me, I don’t read the bad press lol. It can be rather foggy on the cliffs of Whitby too!
This is terrific!
Wonderful closing stanza!
L&H
Xx
Hi Journeyinto (I think that is short for Chris? 🙂 ) Thank you very much!
Love and hugs
XX
I always did like that photo 🙂
There is an open topped bus which runs round the town in the summer season and includes a trip up to the Abbey. But you are quite right – the whole purpose is the journey 🙂
I shall try to get there before the end of the year and do that climb again.
Arohanui
David
xxx
Hi David
The perspective of the picture is lovely, looking down at the steps left behind. I am glad I could use it here! I often think back of our holidays in Whitby, it really is a special place 🙂
Yes, you surely will make it to Whitby and do the climb 🙂 I am convinced I shall do the same one day! 🙂
Arohanui 🙂
xxx
There is a lovely picture of the 199 steps here: http://www.nottinghamartists.org.uk/news/arthur-spooner-1873-1962-founder-member-of-the-nottingham-society-of-artists – I have seen the original painting, as it hangs in a friend’s house.
A good point made in this poem. 🙂
M
Hi mairi, thank you I checked it out! It is really beautiful!
Lol! I didnt notice that typo becore I sent the comment! I remember I was half way through logging in and it went straight to your post, didnt even give me time to put my full name!!
Xx
🙂 That is why I never log out lol 🙂
I like your poems about everyday things – not that you or I climb 199 steps ‘every day’ but sometimes even grocery shopping seems to demand the same energy, and the same philosophy of life…!
Hi John, thank you, yes, fatigue and energy levels… I do find it works for me to walk every day, for 2 hours, it gives me more energy, I am in better shape than a few years ago. 199 steps, if the stairs were here, I think I would climb them daily to excersize. I have to settle with the dunes lol.