"The Long Run," A Poetry Post

My beautiful Black brother,
I am designed to
support the long run.

I am here at the gate,
but where are you?

Why are you
not on the track?
The mothers said
that when I got here,
you would be on the track and
I would know you by your
definition.

I am at the gate,
but there is no runner.
There is no runner.

My lord and king,
I am raised up to
support the long run.

I am here on the track.
Hello!
You are there on the bleachers,
but I am not made to
walk before the bleachers and
smile.

We should both be here
on the track,
but there is no runner.
There is no runner.

My love,
I am practiced to
support the long run.

Now,
we are on the track but
where are your shoes?

I was told I would
know you by the
manner in which you were
always ready to go,
but you were not on the track,
and your feet are naked here with
not even socks on.

We should be getting ready to
get down for the shot but
there is no runner.
There is no runner.

Good sir,
our world's great warrior,
the elders' stories have
prepped me to
support the long run.

Now,
we are on the track and
we are both laced and
tied.

But
why are you standing?

I was told I would know you
by the power of your arms,
the bulge of your thighs,
the tightness of your feet
against the starting block
before the starting shot,
but here you are standing and
looking confused.

The shot is about to sound,
but there is no runner.
There is no runner.

Sweetheart,
in the universe,
I am expected to
support the long run.

Now you are down for the start but listen,
the pistol has sounded.
The pistol has sounded.

I was told
that I would know you by the
terrifying speed with which you
strike the ground
when the pistol has sounded.

And yet,
the shot just rang out and
there is no runner.
There is no runner.

Here is the lane,
here is the route,
here is the pistol,
here is the sound.

Did you hear?
I have the towels.
I have the water.
I have the bandages.
I am prepared.

I have the warm-ups that
you were not wearing.
I wear your
jersey.
We are on the
same team,
but
there is no runner.
There is no runner.

The coach is calling.
He says,
someone must run.
Someone must run and
it's supposed to be you.

But you are not ready.
And I have the towels,
and I have the water,
and I have the bandages.

I am prepared.

And I have your jersey since
we're on the same team.

And the shot is
about to sound
again.

I am prepared.

I look different
down on the ground
at the starting block but
I am prepared.

My physique is
fundamentally different but
I am prepared.

My whole focus is
other,
something other,
but I am prepared.

Because I am ready,
I must run.

Will you follow?

Good sir,
will you at least
come second?

-T. D. James-Moss