the mountain

when I climbed
mount Everest, she
says,
flexing her passport
in front
of you,
I almost didn't
make it.
we were nearly out
of air
and the sherpas
were not as strong
as they were
the year
before.
I had one granola
bar left
and my power
water
was down to a
single gallon.
it's really hard
to talk on
your phone, let
alone text, she
says,
and the view, if
it's cloudy,
which it was that
day ruined
the view, plus
I had forgotten
my good
camera, so I had
to send someone
back down
to fetch it.