Mckayla the Magnificent
The runway runs into her trained eyes
like a roadway that rushes red
into the dreams of her electrified soul,
she's so pretty in her disciplined perfection
a young body that knows years of rigor and ritual
with a mind measured for acrobatic ambition,
she's run this gauntlet so many times before
but the danger and thrill is somehow new,
her hands and feet are stained with bone chalk
memories of fingers, toes, ankles and wrists
twisted, torn and bent in pursuit of excellence,
her ears close to the crowd
she is in her own arena at this moment
no judges, no spectators, no competitors
just the trail to olympic truth
and that ancient apparatus, the vault,
the one she loves and fears,
vulnerable in her scarlet athletic elegance
Team, God and Country
are the drumbeats of her heart right now,
nerves of gold and breaths of bravery
fuel her focused desire to be the very best,
she draws a line on the mat with her foot
everyone knows the score
and everyone knows what the dare is,
the sprint begins with a wildcat spirit
total commitment, no blinks, no doubts,
no stopping this star girl
impeccable thrust to the floor
backflip to the vault for a stellar catapult
hands on the block in harmony
producing a body torque of tight spring propulsion
and she's up like an arrow to the lights
arms X'd over her breast
head high to the heavens
spinning upside down with sweet finesse
an audience in awe of her abeyance,
she lands like a landmark lovely and undeniable in grace
no stumble, no stutter, only stupendous balance
feet firm, legs straight and back curved with class,
she throws her arms back as an angel appeased in glory -
J.A.B.
In the 2012 Olympic Games in London
McKayla Maroney executed the most beautiful and perfect
vault jump in the history of gymnastics,
guaranteeing the U.S. women a gold medal victory.
This poem is dedicated to her immaculate beauty...Justin A. Bordner
Copyright © Justin Bordner | Year Posted 2017
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