A very special moment
the final race in the series
sighs of relief from family and friends
tomorrow they'll hurt
and that's where the build-up
for next year begins
tonight it's the performance of a life
either make or break
right in the now
without a safety net
unless it be the day's thoughts
or the early hours' dreams
otherwise it's up to the pull
of page, pen and poetic inspiration
an act of active imagination
leads the mind
from word to word
from line to line
as if from lap to lap
and sport to sport's discipline
event to event
the bronze
silver
and gold
panting we collapse
past the post
then pose for pictures
and finally climb the rostrum
to hear our anthems
with medals round our necks
and bouquets in our hands
sore for a week
the price of personal bests
in a way really disappointed
that it couldn't have been more
points at the end
knowing that without injections
to kill the pain
not even this
would've been possible
to achieve tonight
in this basin of now
this stadium of poetry

Shutford