New poem: THE WINNER GOES TO DINNER

THE WINNER GOES TO DINNER
(title inspired by the 1981 film TRUE CONFESSIONS)

the ballots were counted


and the tribe spoke


my torch was silenced
...

I was escorted across

the rope bridge

before the medals

were given out

>

and I realized that

I put on my running shorts

plus the thin sleeveless undershirt

and ran for what seemed like years

but no one felt any desire to add me

to the race's official list

>

Gallants can also be Goofuses

(as I know too well)

Goofuses can also be Gallants

(as I know quite well),

but perceived Goofuses tend

to show their best traits

when Important people aren't looking

>

an example being Gregory Peck

in THE BIG COUNTRY

who was worthy and brave

mostly when other people weren't watching

>

you don't win races that way

instead you make sure you're seen

doing the right things

by, to and with the right people

>

being unseen almost everywhere

keeping your unblown horn

in its case

not rushing to people

with a chair and a footstool

when you think they need

extrasuperspecial application

of thick, perhaps-sincere social butter

>

that's when you lose the race

and get buried

in the Potter's Field of Poetry

with the rest of the Goofuses