years of gritted teeth

of days at the rink

and nights in the garage

firing shots at a net that’s seen better days

thrown around like a ragdoll as he climbs

tries to be better

but he just keeps getting knocked down

and now his skates hardly skim the ice

“he’s a hard worker”, they say

but hard work never seems to be enough

hard work means nothing

next to weaving hands and flashy skaters

he’s happy to play one minute

feel the wind against his neck

as he takes his moment of freedom

before he must return to the bench

and each moment of freedom

he does all he can to show the world

to prove to himself

that he can be a star

he will be

one day he knows

his name will light up on a screen

he just needs to keep pushing

but it never comes

and he finally starts to doubt

yet he keeps trying his hardest

and then one day it happens

someone takes a chance

on the boy who never really got one

and he joins a school team

maybe now, finally, he can prove himself

and then he does

and someone decides they want him

someone of the highest level

decides he’s the one to get

and he never really plays

not at that high level

why would he?

he’s never really meant to

but one night it comes

and there he is in the big leagues

music pounding, he sits

among legends and guys just like him

and the music swells

and the lights brighten

as he steps out alone

the cheering crescendoes

then there it is

that familiar feeling

of the wind in his hair

as he finally takes his victory lap