The Trick

The giving black slender tramp
Seemed to run for miles and miles
I stand ready at one end
The action potential streaking down the axon
Carrying my coach's words
My eyes were locked and ready
On the bright pink chalk mark
Like a hungry eagles eyes
Locked on a flopping fish
Where I was to hurdle
The launching point
My eyes were locked and focused
On the straight white line
Dividing the track in two
The taste of fear filling my mouth
Irony and metallicy all together
My bright blue peppermint gum
Masked by its taste of fear
The smell of the sweaty sticky mats
Added to the sickening flavor
I began to run
Holding in every ounce of air
Faintly I could hear encouragement
But my pounding hammering heart
Drowned out most noise
As my feet impacted the bed
It gave from all my power
I hit the bright pink chalk mark
My hands encountered the black bed
The action potential froze in their places
A chalk cloud arose
The earthy dry sent
Invading my nostrils
My feet hit and muscles screamed
Ready to push out pounds of power
Blindly now my hands touched again
My eyes were wide open
But I saw absolutely nothing
My feet pummeled downwards
More muscles shrieked
They needed more power
I flew into the air
Like a rocket off a launch pad
The blood red mat lay far below me
So far it looked dollhouse size
I yanked my arms in close
Like a turtle pulling into its shell
The world around me blurred
As I spun round and round
Then the red mat was coming fast
My clenched muscles tightened
They knew the mat was approaching
My feet hit first, my knees bent
The mat stopped coming closer
I stuck it!