On a pitch far from home
stands an athlete,
all alone.
Heart beats fast,
remembering,
the fateful past.
The young athlete stood a year before
listening to a
excited crowd roar.
But that was before the rain,
the pass, kick, tackle,
and then the pain.
Then the athlete had looked up to the sky,
and silently
wondered why?
Eventually fell the snow,
winter passed,
still a no.
However it did not extinguish the fire,
that told the young athlete,
‘don’t retire’.
After a long wait,
eventually changed,
the athletes fate.
Hard work followed,
but still the flame inside,
could still not be swallowed.
In time came the day
the athlete
could once again play.
Out of the tunnel ran a team,
the young athlete,
and a deferred dream.
The game was started,
the ball was kicked,
the players darted.
And the people in awe,
stood not quite believing
what they saw.
The athlete had, like an iron horse,
struck the ball setting it on,
an unstoppable course.
Time stops
to their knees
the athlete drops.
But this time not in tears,
for no longer,
was there anything to fear.
When all was said and done
a loser lost
a winner won.
The athlete watched as the fans
got their autographs,
then left the stands.
on a pitch far from home
one athlete,
remained alone.
The athlete looked up to the sky
and understood
why,
It had been the ultimate test.
to see if the athlete really had
what they thought they possessed.
A love of the game,
and then the athlete left,
forever remembering what they overcame.