Getting up

A Poem by Tarushi

The poem portrays how a hurdle can bring down a person's hope to win but what matters the most is getting up and running to your goal- this spirit is what makes a person a true winner

The whistle blew,
and I sprinted across the white line.
All I could see was the red flag on the other end.
I ran taking giant leaps forward,
the world behind the red flag was a blur.
It was for these few seconds,
I had practiced hard and long -
woke up at five and ran far across the stretches.
It was for this small run,
I left my party friends and took to climbing up and down
the hill.
My mother would always be there
with a mug of hot water and cloth to nurse my wounds.
My father would come with me and time my speed.
All of there efforts, all of mine too would be shown now.
I ran with my competitors behind,
the red flag in front.
Every passing second would bring me close to my target.
Quite near the red flag,
my knees buckled suddenly and I fell forward.
All my parents' effort and my hard work
seemed to tumble down -
like a pack of cards before my eyes.
My mornings gone wasted and my chances of winning too.
I remembered my mother's consoling smile but it seemed
unreal to me.
Pain shot across my muscles and my sweat soaked the soil.
I could hear running feet coming closer now,
the red flag a few paces away from me.
I knew time was running away,
and I had to decide now.
Ignoring the pain , I pulled upwards,
gave all my strength and jerked forward.
I took long strides, pushed my arms and legs
as fast as I could.
A red-haired boy was almost near the red flag,
but I didn't stop in disappointment.
I had already ran like a winner,
got up when I saw no end,
and had learnt a life changing lesson,
that when you fall and see no hope ,
all it takes is a self-determination moment
to bring you back near your goal.