Jimmy stands on the starting line.
The row of watching faces is endless.
He wants to win so much.
To please them.
To be the first,
just once.
The gun sounds.
and he screams at his legs to move.
But his legs are reluctant heroes,
he only half controls them.
They mimic running.
he can’t find the
ground.
After the race, smiling faces
At least he beat the boy with the limp
and the girl who didn’t know it was a race.
But you can’t disguise losing.
Brave smile. Silent
heart.
As Jimmy walks away someone sticks a badge on his chest
It says “I tried hard today!”
But
Jimmy, tries hard every day
only no one comes with a badge,
just another race.
© John Burns, 2001. No part of this poem may be reproduced in any form, including electronic formats or transmission, without written permission from the author. All rights reserved.