rarefied

it grows
in the mountain
malignant
the disease's disease
fear, anxiety, loss of ease
a monster
no tribute can appease
larger and larger
til it fits no more inside
it crawls out of the caves
into the rarefied air
on the peaks
out of reach
and it waits for us all
our bootless prayers beseech
but deaf and blind
indiscriminate and heedless
it stretches its wings
and havoc wreaks