Sunday, August 11, 2013

Lonely Long Distance Runner

                                                                                        Attribution : bigmick
Image: The Long Distance Runners
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Sunday Whirl with words
circle concrete hitch illuminate incentive pounding race 
stark scatter strain striking wallow

They would circle the concrete jungle
With the dogged aim of being able
To run en masse along a route designated
To grab honors befitting a distance runner
Illuminating a race at full throttle to the fore  
Such was the incentive striking at the core

A pounding pace with no possibility of a hitch
But a guarded regular rhythm of a pitch
In stark contrast to a quick dash of a sprint
Leaving opponents scattered way behind
He remembered the strain of training
At high altitudes of running
To maximize a waning stamina
Mark of a marathon runner

And he was not to wallow in self pity
But to strive for King and country

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle #121 and shared with Poets United Poetry Pantry #162

19 comments:

  1. You put the words to good use, Hank!

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  2. i think we all need a bit of a long distance runner within us.not for king or country...but just for our own lives and careers.

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  3. Kudos to him indeed, I'll stick to walking at my feed

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  4. Hank,

    A real sense of the amazing sense of giving all and of the pride in participating, even in strenuous circumstances.

    Best wishes,
    Eileen

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  5. lonely in a crowd............all long distance runners are.

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  6. I'm winded from that word-induced sprint





    Aloha, Hank

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  7. nice hank..it becomes about the rhythm...setting your own pace as you start to distance yourself from everyone else....what an amazing accomplishment though eh?

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  8. You did well with the words, Hank, and told a good story - it takes a lot of endurance to be a long distance runner.

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  9. I like the direction you took with the words, Hank. Nicely done.

    Pamela

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  10. I am certainly glad those days are behind me and I must confess I wasn't thinking of King and country even then! A great post nonetheless.

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  11. Ha, we have just had the annual Sydney fun run here: City to Surf. I don't live in Sydney, but even if I did I would stay home and watch it on TV, lol.

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  12. Ah you grew up in the age of staunch discipline I see Hank. Sink or swim. Interesting poem with other connotations I suspect.:)

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  13. A great sense of disciplined training for the dream of running your best.

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  14. A dream run for him and I just stick to walking only!! Reminded me of Milkha Singh our long distance runner who trained hard, now a commercial film has been made to honour him!!

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  15. the italics, taken out of context, make another poem, is that purposeful?

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