Copyright 2010 Gregory Zeorlin

Hazards Of An Inflated Leather Ball

They run with an inflated leather ball

smashing headlong into each other

chancing body and mind

for one exaggerated moment

when nothing else matters

except crossing a white goal line.

The ones that do

and those that did cross the line

replay that instant which took them down

so many years ago to glory

brains sloshing inside crash helmets

blurry eyed and succumbing.

Their bodies numbing

ears no longer hearing the frenzied crowd

roaring from the bleachers

rousing players to go beyond limits

abandon all for right now

turn your backs on tomorrow!

Later your bodies will remember

a collision with someone you didn’t know

who didn’t want you to cross over

some white line in a field of green

maybe you’ll question why you tried years from now

but, “Go team go!” anyhow.

Gregory Zeorlin  8/24/2010  12:45pm (lunch break)