Our sport is your sport's punishment.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

And the scene comes unbidden into my mind:
the runners at the far turn of the course,
behind the roughest field and into the woods,
among the deepest trees left leaning
after last year's storm.

The alien colors trickle down the path:
the red & black, the purple & gold, the green & white.
We strain to see the first brilliant flashes
through the dying leaves, but must wait,
murmuring to ourselves, "Where are they?
Where are they?"

I know where they are.
I sent them there.
I know every stone, every rut and hole,
every toot waiting to trap the delicate foot,
the feet of my slender animals,
claws scratching the dirt, striking sparks
from the flat rock on that sharp turn.
And I see one try to pass,
try to take the lead,
see the root reaching for him
with a thin gray arching arm
that will not let go.

I hear the snap of something else,
the scream drifts down the hill
through the golden leaves,
feel my face go white with fear.

I sent them there, sent all of them.
They go for glory
and because I told them to,
knowing all the while
how fragile the bones,
how fixed ahead the eyes are,
forgetting to look down, forgetting
in the beauty of the run
that anything can end in a second,
even when you are young,
and protected by the names of fierce animals.

I hear the answer. It is yes.
My head swims. The auditorium
is too hot. I leave abruptly,
walk into the cool darkness,
look up, find the first star, make my wish.

Grace Butcher

she wrote the poem as a runner from a coach's point of view. not sure if she's a coach but she has depicted how a coach wld feel really well ah? presuming that's what a coach feels when he sends his team off for a race...

tifft

[ `looked to the heavens for strength ]
5:58 PM

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

HELLO!

am training and having exams at the same time; just to let you know, i'm still alive and moving. see i even have time to play computer. been managing my time 'well' and this is quite an experience...training eating lastminstudying sleeping, take exam. except for ytd when i p-m-s-ed really badly. and i think it's cos i studied too long >: (12-5 record time man) haha well my point is; it is possible to train and have exams at the same time! i think i sleep even more than my friends.

(let's not take my results into account at the moment okay)

so anyways...look forward to the june hols!! yipeeee. i'm feeling really high cos i'm going to njc's xcountry/track open house in 7 days! next tues. hahaha have i told you i like their uniform?

tifft

[ `looked to the heavens for strength ]
7:08 PM