I narrowly manage
to slip past—hell,
every new morning—
is a fresh
set of downs.
*
The present is only
a quick time-out
in the clincher match
between future
and past.
And if you pause
the broadcast,
there I am
in the stands:
freezing,
but still mouthing
hi mom
at the camera.
*
The objective,
they are always saying
in the locker room,
is to win this thing.
But the purpose,
we're too galvanized
to admit, is
to keep playing.