A BOY’S FIRST RUN

The play was right run, and the play was run right.
With both teams running to the right
One to block, one to flight.
With one side of the field
bottled up by blockers and rushers,
the other open to daylight,
not a soul in sight.
The choice was easy
“I’ll go the other way.”
With pigskin safely tucked away
and short legs running for all their worth
he passes the line of bodies, pushing and shoving
Ten yards, and no one notices,
twenty yards, and no one sees,
thirty yards they first discover
he’s not behind the line.
With proud Father shouting
from the sideline,
“He could go all the way!”
Short legs pounding, and growing tired,
The older kids gaining ground,
the end zone getting closer
but so are those who pursue him.
Pushing harder to reach the goal
before those who would try to stop him
“I’m going to score!” ran through his head.
Oh, if it wasn’t for short legs or slower pace
it might have been.