Goat Whiskers Mountain

Up, heave, down
Up, heave, down
Breathe,
His head commands.
Surrounded by a sea of dust,
Buddies above him,
Fading
Buddies behind him,
Gone.
Heart pumping,
Will draining,
Sweat pouring,
He continues trudging up
The mountain.
Beating sun above
Illuminating
Shroud of suffocating dust
Rising up
Halting him.
Yet steadily
A foot goes up,
Comes down,
Rises up,
Shatters the barrier of dust.
A head appeared,
Then torso,
Finally he stands upon the summit
A weight lifts from his shoulders
As his backpack hits the ground.