She flies through bright lit air, searching for the bar,
A blur of leotard and sequins flash across the sky,
And crowds will wait with bated breath, to see
What she can do with flesh and muscle human mass.
But what’s the cost? She’s not a freak show queen
That we all pay to watch and point and make assumptions
That she is so strong she’s indestructible, immense
And yet there are those fragile tears that roll
Like oceans in the darkest night, it hardly seems
Fair to call that ocean weak when droplets fall
Alone, in slowest motion, picked apart by mortal men,
Like we could do a better job? Don’t kid yourself,
Don’t play with waves that flip and turn with force of God,
That legend may just ebb away but it will never die.
Margot Kinberg
What a lovely tribute to one of the finest athletes there’s ever been. She is poetry in motion, isn’t she? And she makes it all look so easy – which it isn’t! I am so upset, too, that so many people have trolled her for taking care of her own self. She should not be judged and second-guessed for making her mental health a priority, and certainly not by people who don’t understand the pressure she’s under and the work involved in what she does. She is a role model, not just for gymnastics but for handling life.
Lucy
Ahh, beautifully said! She is inspiring.
Dave Williams
Agreed … she deserves praise for making what might’ve been a difficult decision. She and Naomi Osaka are showing us courage and that they’re actually human. We can fall into the groove of rooting for these athletes and always expecting them to do well. But their mental and physical health are very important. I wonder if the people who are harshly judging Simone Biles consider that if she continued competing, she might’ve been seriously injured. And if she made mistakes, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team might not have won any medal. This is a good reminder that medals aren’t the most important thing in the Olympics.
henhouselady
Great poem for this young women who knew her limits. This past year has taken a toll on all of us. I’m proud of her for knowing when to call it quits. This took a great deal of courage on her part.