A Walk in The Wild (Hypnotic Love Affair Suite)

A Walk in the Wild is an original work, inspired by the story of Cheryl Strayed, who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail alone, on a journey of self-discovery, and ultimately, recovery. Featured art is by Zainab Loulichki.

Listen to A Walk In The Wild by Richard Charles Stevens (Hypnotic Love Affair Suite)

Listen to Hypnotic Love Affair by Windy Milla

For countless miles
I walk this trail
Though weak and frail
I shall prevail
Shall fight for peace
With tooth and nail
Seek my release
Beyond the pale
And find myself
Beneath the veil
Find myself
Beneath the veil
.
Midday sun burns down upon the long and winding road
My binding oath
Declining role of victim as per findings showed
While the days are blinding hot
The nights are biting cold
With not a soul in earshot
As I watch the coughing campfire choke
I’m all alone
With thoughts my only cloak remotely close to home
Which goes to show
How far I’ll go
To grow apart from scolding tone
My open heart
The noble part which chaperoned approach thus far
Denotes my last granola bar
Before the final gasp
Fingers down to bone
All lingered hopes declining fast
Yet every single chromosome
Evokes defining mark
Every single chromosome
Evokes defining mark
Every single chromosome
Evokes defining mark
.
For countless miles
(For countless miles)
Have walked this trail
(Have walked this trail)
Though weak and frail
(Though weak and frail)
I have prevailed
(I have prevailed)
Have fought for peace
(Have fought for peace)
With tooth and nail
(With tooth and nail)
Seeked release
(Seeked release)
Beyond the pale
(Beyond the pale)
And found myself
(And found myself)
Beneath the veil
(Beneath the veil)
Found myself
(Found myself)
Beneath the veil
(Beneath the veil)
.
It felt wild
To let it be
To let life get the best of me
For all of spite’s severity
I still defined serenity
Breathed unapologetically
Once something of a rarity
For back when I was seventeen
I had no real identity
At least now theoretically
I called to mind a spreading tree
Thus while my life seemed dead to me
Survival chimed prophetically
Revival timed poetically
To see me unexpectedly alive
Remind me why I strived so long
To hold on to my open heart
And motion to the stolen stars
If only to delight the swollen skies
My binding oath
To focus eyes on beauty of the unknown
Where no onus lies on duty
Or disputes that you may die before regrouping in the wild
With eulogy unduly signed
Should you not find the one tree truly wise
And learn of where a working future lies
Learn of where a working future lies
.
For countless miles
I walk this trail
Once weak and frail
I now prevail
No fight for peace
Clean teeth and nails
Since I released
Beyond the pale
For here upon
(Here upon)
Uneven ground
(Uneven ground)
I found myself
(Found myself)
In best of health
(In best of health)
Compelled
Beneath
The veil
Compelled
Beneath
The veil
.
For countless miles
(For countless miles)
I walk this trail
(Have walked this trail)
Once weak and frail
(Have walked this trail)
I now prevail
(I have prevailed)
No fight for peace
(Have fought for peace)
Clean teeth and nails
(With tooth and nail)
Since I released
(Seeked my release)
Beyond the pale
(Beyond the pale)
Since I released
(Found myself)
Beyond the pale
(Beneath the veil)
Since I released
(Found myself)
Beyond the pale
(Beneath the veil)
For here upon
(Uneven ground)
Uneven ground
(I found myself)
I found myself
(In best of health)
In best of health
.
Compelled
Beneath the veil
Compelled
Beneath the veil
.
Midday sun burns down upon the long and winding road
Compelled
Beneath the veil
.
Midday sun burns down upon the long and winding road
Compelled
Beneath the veil
.
Midday sun burns down upon the long and winding road
Compelled
Beneath the veil
.
Midday sun burns down upon the long and winding road
.
Compelled
Beneath the veil
.
Compelled
Beneath the veil
.
Midday sun burns down upon the long and winding road
.