Victory Poem by D.W. Good

First, it was the little things that mattered

And I was too small to now have the memory

But my parents worked until I spoke, then crawled

And I guess then they felt victory.


Then, it was on to bigger things, like the alphabet

Then shoe tying and Checkers, King Me!

Baseball, Football and Archery

And in some instances I cried, Victory!


So I reached the time of labored, cracking voice

And school would end only after an eternity

And girls would sometimes smile at me, victory!

Time passed with me behind it, pressing it, take me!


Into a garbled mess of decisions I dove, a young man at last

And nothing ailed me quite as much as the goal of victory

But without reason or warning the games and the rules had changed.

I found the world lacking good sport and lost my will for victory.


Now, I’m older, slower and fatter than I used to be

Which is just fine with me but the world wants victory

And I smile and pity myself on the mornings when,

With labored breath I tie my shoes, thinking, Victory!