chomolungma

Unable to see past
all the other stubborn
millionaires
I turned back
to see how much
oxygen
I had left

1 percent -
not enough to ascend
or die comfortably
but just enough
to see people shrug
and shake their head,
wondering why I
hyperventilated
earlier
at sea level

Reaching the peak
meant a successful
descent
of a corpse
that struggled
with making decisions
and being unable to
balance
achievement
versus
prudence