The Sprinter
Dawn breaks, bringing forth the light of all beings.
Blinking in the first rays of the sun, crouching, bouncing
A restless seduction,
The sprinter’s nose traces the horizon, a primal lens
As eternal, innate
Permanent as the black freckles on his golden skin
Glyphs of destiny
Coded greatness.
Taut with the intensity of purpose
His stride lengthening, he runs with the freedom of immortal youth
Purring as he inhales
Fiery heart a clean, pure marvel,
Gliding gracefully with the rhythm of home
Legs shuddering against the rise and the fall,
The earth brutal
His delicate pads making elegance out of the violence,
Amber eyes locked on to the eternal prize.
Long legs fluid with the diurnal call of flight and landing
He leans into the bend, balanced by his spirit and the call of the higher,
Tears down the home straight
In the slipstream of greatness,
Alive in the motion
Sloughing the veils of life
This, the purpose of all existence,
One fleeting moment of glory in the midst of living.
In the finish, blood and perspiration,
The stream of life through which his soul has passed.
Dark tear-stripes sweating down his dusty face
Legs bloodied with the scars of victory
His reward, the honour of the fight.
He turns tail, disappears
A tuft of white hair, then gone to his solitary slumber,
Retreating to his quiet place
At peace with the law of his being
At one with his nature and his god.
© Carly Dugmore 2014
