Little boys in school yards
race bare foot across green grass,
golden sun beating on their young bodies,
making their skin shine like polished shoes.
He remembers those races,
this one is for the little boy in him,
for the little boys racing now.
This one is for the sufferers,
who cannot run from the poverty
that has shackled them like broken ankles.
This one is for 'the almost'
who pulled a muscle in the middle of the race.
This is more than black BMW's
gold medals,
or green money .
This is for a nation.
A nation he carries on his back
and wears across his chest like a hero,
He bears the flag like the cloak of a warrior,
the Jamaican warrior.
His chest wide like the skin on Djembe drums.
The same drum he had to beat one last time
before crossing the finish line.
Drums that play the beat of Jamaica.
A beat that represents hardship, sun and land.
A drum that beats three words,
Black
Gold
Green.
(Positive) Vibrations
“You can't just live that negative way
If you know what I mean
Make way for the positive day.”
Bob Marley, Positive Vibration
Sometimes, words can break bones,
but numbers can slap you in the face.
5
He looks up at the screen,
'lane number?'
'No that was 7.'
5
Position, fifth.
Numbers can slice hearts.
2
Second 100 meter loss in the Olympics.
0
No gold medals at the Olympics.
0
No medals at all on the big stage.
8
A number that visualizes the knot in his stomach.
2008
A year to forget?
He wants to be happy for his friend,
'Fifth?'
Numbers can snap your happiness like twigs
“Why not help one another on the way?”
Numbers can move you, lift you up,
vibrate from one entity to another,
manifesting itself as energy that never dies.
4
Four runners
1
One baton
Four knuckles make one fist as it grabs the baton.
As the energy of a champion flows through the baton,
His shouting voice vibrates through him,
the final runner.
Turning his negative energy into
positive vibrations
Numbers can build you up,
lift you high
heal you.
He looks up at the screen
5
Lane number
1
Position, first.
“Oh, what a new day!”
Simon Brown 2009
