As I fall to one knee, as I hone my will,
I listen to my heartbeat; the world falls still.
I'm aware of my challengers, I don't look in their eyes,
There is only one winner; there is only one prize.
Relaxing my muscles, I target my mind,
I don't see pretenders, I'll leave them behind.
I feel my blood surge as I prepare for my run.
I'm out of my blocks; like bullet from gun.
My stride becomes longer and lower and yet…
I still hear their feet; I still smell their sweat.
I know they are there and I know what they yearn.
I push myself harder; my muscles now burn.
I reach the halfway mark and now I must find,
That ‘something' that's hidden, deep down in my mind.
My body screams no; you can have no more!
I turn on the power, like never before.
The line now is closing; it burns in my chest.
My training rewarded, I'm still the best.
Dear Derek, I really loved the freshness in your poem. It is a poem I would like to write myself - although my style is different from yours. You have an easy natural talent, which can be honed still further. Wish you all the best for the contest. If you win, I shall be happy. But you cannot predict anything in an Online Contest like this - which can be easily manipulated by cyber savvy poets! ! (See my poem Poem Hunter Contest Final just to have an idea of how a contest can be manipulated...)
Great poem it captures how a runner would probably feel very well! !
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
You contestant people are so serious about the poetry contest conducted by poemhunter for 2013 that I see people made phone calls and send unsolicited spasm to each other and I am not left alone , but I had never asked any to vote for my poem ‘’unique ‘’ one, let alone to receive or make phone calls and I wonder how many people understood uniqueness of my poem ‘unique’ and its intrinsic and duality of its meaning …simply every one went for the author for ‘’I ‘’ but this insinuates for the universe also , the poems which won prizes some are direct copy from the poems of Rabindranath Tagore (1913 Nobel prize winner) and other two are descriptive poetry without deeper meaning or have any significance or insinuations. According to me this poem deserves to be second just after ''i paint my muster piece '' by Redmond....thanks take care...