walking versus hiking

everyone

likes to call walking

taking a hike now,

especially if more than

six trees

are involved.

up a hill.

a dell

down to the valley.

upstream,

downstream.

around and around

the lake

we go.

it's walking.

not hiking.

hiking involves

a long

stick

and fighting

off bears

and rattlesnakes,

a grappling hook

to scale

cliffs,

forging a river

with a bridge

made out

of bamboo

and vines.

eating salmon with

our bare

hands

over a campfire.

it's walking if you

can hold

a cup of coffee and

blab the whole

time around the trail.

tomorrow i'm going to

take a hike around

the mall

to buy another pair

of walking shoes.