His T-shirt was torn

The threads of his life unraveling

Before his eyes, he felt the punch

Did not see it coming,

It knocked him out of his tennis shoes

Bloody nose, black eye

Prison looming ahead

Third strike and you’re out

He heard the sirens

Jumped into the car,

The tires squealing

As they raced out,

And he left his tennis shoes

Behind

'Left Behind' Copyright Patricia Schoenberger 2008, all rights reserved worldwide.