echelon

forget the mountain
made of man
foothills of broken souls
the sherpa piggybacked
no, it was all you
you clawed and clung
each millimeter hard won
by you (or, ya know, someone)
you rise into rarefied air
at last the upper echelon
no matter who
you had to step on
and now
congratulate yourself
for conquering Everest
because you're the best