Gregory Richard Barden Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

I wrote this immediately following the Olympic Women's Beach Volleyball Semifinal Match between the United States and Brazil, when Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross lost to Agatha and Barbara of Brazil, the very FIRST Olympic match that Kerri had ever lost ...

For Kerri and April

A cacophony of cheers
Sand sprays like fireworks
From feet, hands, ball, hair.
Four women, two-a-side,
In a battle for the ages.

A motion of fluidity and a
Knowledge brought forth
From years in the fray.
Sun, rain, the elements,
Just more adversaries

In a long procession of
Combatants put asunder
By their clear dominance
Of a gritty game of volleys.
The Americans had few

Times met with struggle
Along their long journey
Toward the gilded yellow
Badge of Olympic honor,
But this night the glint in

The eye, the coordinate
Movements of limbs and
Lengths and deliberations,
The perfection of intents
And wiles and exertions,

Would not birth triumph,
But instead place a bitter
Pill flat on their tongues.
But such is the bare truth
Of warfare, and such is

The coming of wisdom ...
For without that sour taste
And constricting swallow,
We have no estimation
Of the finer, sweeter things

That the battlements of
Life hold within their walls.
Gold knows no favorite,
Nor does it gleam in the
Eyes of the fortunate only.

Momentum true is the key
And this night it flowed
For the sake of those
Whose feet knew this
Beach as their own ...

Who felt their home and
Peoples and affinities all
In the grainy coursing of
Cold granules underfoot,
And sometimes, when

The heart has the peace
Of its OWN around it, that's
All the difference needed.
But character outshines
The most precious ores,

And in that bold and true
Respect, our wonderfully
Beautiful and courageous
Girls of Stars and Stripes,
Shall ALWAYS stand at

The top of the podium,
And the anthem of our
Appreciation and pride
Will always play in their
Ears ...

We love you, Kerri
Walsh Jennings and April
Ross, and you are, without
Question or argument,
The very BEST.

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John Watt January 19, 2020 at 12:50 AM Gregory, it's hard to believe this is the first comment for this masterpiece. My wife and I always loved watching Kerri Walsh with Misty May (and later April Ross) in the Olympics. They were models of consistency, which was the result of years of hard work, combined with their immense talent and unbreakable spirits. This is a fitting homage to these athletes that we are proud to see representing the red, white, and blue. I enjoyed this very much - well done! ~ John Gregory Richard Barden January 22, 2020 at 5:32 AM I just saw this, John, (I think some are going to my spam folder) - I thank you so much! I actually sent this to them via their Facebook Messenger and got a very sweet reply - they were quite appreciative - it made my day, to say the least. Blessings, my friend! :o)