race of words

there are many forms of athletes besides the common muscular stamina category so often equated with sports

the thrill of victory,
the agony of defeat
to the victor, the writing marathon
or the arena's battle with the foes
goes the classic spoil,
publishing of the author's works
with all the world to share

hurdles formidable to jump
who will cross the finish line,
akin the writing athlete's 583,000 novel words?
leo tolstoy's war and peace,
j. r. tolkien, et als, writer runner athletes of the mind
for the written works of art to the cheering crowds
the poem, the prose, the story, genres no limit

whatever literary piece
the athlete's endurance is required
measured marked, degree of strength to endure
stamina's training endure and not faint
long nights of introspection's reflection
days of burning passion
traversing plains, hills and rivers, oceans feelings,
through valleys dark, deserts dry
of writer's block, or cramp
not succumb, nor be weary

athlete scribe of the pen
sleepless nights in running search of elusive epiphany
yet unfazed, unnerved to serve, fulfill
the burning need and crave
to form coherent means convey
through the paths and tracks of the course,
though obstacles in the way, unphased
isolation from fellow humanity,
running writing tireless
search for lost, obscure, fragmented meanings
translated terms, terms concise, precise
that fit just right for a perfect stride
words redundancy avoid, run the course

the narrow way, words that flow
take writer's pace to the finish lines
gasp for air in moments of ecstasy
in pursuit of passion's need to run the write
if the ink runs dry, relief awaits in the course
quench your thirst writer's run
it will yield another route

writer's run remains in the race 
runs with the power of the pen
stays in the game running with the words
wrestles, fears not combat with the foes that would thwart
impedance threat athletes attempts to form
thoughts invisible into the visible for the spectators worthy

athlete writer harness, subdue as you run,
your thoughts into words, plot their course
in your strides to fly above the sundry barren frames of existence
pass the torch of their meaning, dreams and expectations
pass the torch of writing's sport
to catch the fire, share the sparks
and blaze with light the reader's mind

the author is the athlete poet in the arena of olympiads
runs the race from dawn to dusk
never weary in the sprint, to the full length's marathon
long distance strides to catch the sun
and pen it down
before it slips into the dawn
sprints to paint the story
write it down
share it with the hungry arena

the writer athlete does mourn:
"unless i run my heart does burst,
i cannot stop this race to write
my lungs fill with emotion's dread
to write my feelings my thoughts to spread
my glistening sweat,
salty sweet on my breast
as birds of prey fly after me
to peck my eyes, rob my words
and scatter them in piles
along the track to alphabet confetti,
steal my mission and my goal
unless i run the write
down to my finish lines,
wreath of glory on my brow,
literary piece to the world give
for human deeds and feelings manifold inscribe"

another write, the author poet victor's run
pursue and fill the plot
fulfill the readers' thrill applause,
satisfy their yearning's crave
for wielding swords of words
in the arena of the match

across the finish line another write
another chapter line by line
another poem stride by stride
quench your thirst by swallowing words
the sprint and the gallop of the quest
to write the highest epiphany
leap across to join the ranks
of the classics, the writing athletes of the mind
to the sounds of readers' cheers, exalted or low
of written works spilled across
the track of need for the race to write