I’m sure you didn’t mean to end
your life as a landmark. Since ‘96,
your green Koflach boots a warning
to others: Everest takes, whether you are
willing to give, or not. In an alcove
made of limestone, climbers use you
as a gauge. How much farther to the summit—
how much closer to God?
—Carol McMahon, “Green Boots,” 2017
