i built an empire on my back
and it grew like a staircase up my spin.
hunched over from the weight,
i crawled on my knees until they were scraped and bloodied,
my wounds reopening amidst the battle.
"victory stands on the back of sacrifice,"
so i crawl
because i am still moving.
and when my body breaks under the strain
of the new world order
i will collapse,
but it will not be in vain.