trail/trial
handed the chart
told to get going
soon after the start
took a wrong turn
followed the plough
knee-deep in mud
furrowed brow
even after harvest
forded the stream
deeper than expected
in search of a dream
so nearly a nightmare
reached the top
of the mountain
surveyed the drop
with misgivings
Like the rhyme scheme.
Not quite sure that ‘furrowed brow / even after harvest’ makes complete sense. But I could be wrong.
Last stanza is rather abstract… On the other hand, ‘Surveyed the drop / with misgivings’ is much stronger.
Still unsatisfied despite some success: that was the idea, anyway!
I have ditched the last stanza, you will be glad to hear.