A One-Person Race

by Zoe Frost, age 11
A One-Person Race Zoe is a writer and swimmer living in NYC. She enjoys writing and reading poetry, fantasy, and realistic fiction.

“Take a deep breath / Push off the wall / Don’t let your feet slip / Don’t waste any time / Not even / A second”

    

“Go.”

 

Take a deep breath

Push off the wall

Don’t let your feet slip

Don’t waste any time

Not even

A second

 

Close your eyes if it’s easier

Easier to move towards your destination

Without knowing

How close

You really are

 

“Keep going”

You tell yourself

“It hasn’t been that long”

“Keep going ”

 

Stroke

After stroke

After stroke

 

For a second

Dare to open your eyes

Dare to know

How close

You really are

 

“Keep going”

You tell yourself

“You’re almost there”

“Keep going”

 

Knowing

That you can’t

Give up

Grit your teeth

Close your eyes again

Swim towards the wall

 

Rest

Air

Satisfaction

Is within your reach

 

Feel the smooth tile of the wall

Beneath your hands

Open your eyes

See

You’ve made it

You’re done

 

Breathe

Stop and appreciate

The feel of oxygen going

In

And out

Of your lungs

 

Feel the pride of what you’ve done

Fill you up

Make you smile

Make you want to do it again

 

1 Comment

  • Tom and Lynne Frost says:

    Dear Zoe – Lynne and I were delighted to receive and read your wonderfully thoughtful
    poetry. We know you took a writing class over the Summer and began writing poetry
    at that time (perhaps it began long before?).
    You have a real gift and we thank you for sharing it with us. With lots of love,
    G-Lynne and G-Tom

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