Throughout the 2012 London Olympic Games, Kwame Dawes is writing verses for the Wall Street Journal that reflect on the previous day’s events. It’s an interesting way to interact with the Games.
The Gymnast
For Gabby, Kyla, Jordyn, McKayla, Aly
Years from now,
having lost the shape
of a hard-tutored body,
you will explain to those
who ask why your feet
bear the scars of the wounded,
you will say, “See these feet
are dancer’s feet—they are
the brutality of grace,
the ugliness of flight;
they remind us of the earth,
how it holds us to itself,
punishing us for leaping
like we do.” And at
every twinge in the knee
at each stair taken,
you will remember
the clamor of cheers
filling the arena,
with you at the center,
nimble, feet planted,
muscles pulsing
waiting for you to leap
again, and fly, fly, fly.
