L Milton Hankins | + Follow Poet |
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Laurels of a Certain Win

To expect sure defeat insures a ravaged heart
Returns without the laurels of a certain win
Dampening one's ardor from a challenging start,
Perhaps, it was better this race not to begin.

Enter each endeavor with the will to finish
First among many equals, better than them all,
Never for a moment let your strength diminish
Before a beginning whistle stand straight and tall.

Never let a weakness your competition see
It builds barriers you find difficult to check,
Consider subtle doubt your fiercest enemy
Picture the winning gold medals around your neck.

Engage confidence, never let it run amuck
For winning a race is always far more than luck.

Written September 3, 2022

Copyright © L Milton Hankins | Year Posted 2022

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Caren Krutsinger Date: 9/6/2022 2:45:00 AM Visualization works! It always has for me too! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 9/6/2022 8:39:00 AM Yes, indeed. Much of winning, in my opinion, is in the attitude...and of course the preparation.

Michael Tor Date: 9/3/2022 2:59:00 PM Wonderful theme and much truth behind it. When I find myself confronted with this thought you have expressed here Milton. I remind myself there are better days ahead. Winning is nice but sometimes we lose. In losing it makes us better, we learn from that loss, and hopefully fare better the next time. Life is full of winnings and losses. It is what we do with them that matters most. Being an athlete a Sprinter in high school and Professional Soccer player I always tried to do my best. There was Login to Reply Michael Tor Date: 9/3/2022 10:24:00 PM There was a lot of violence, many gangs, and gang related crimes. You always had to watch ahead and behind. This was in the late 60's with the Hippie movement, the drugs, LSD and Marijuana, Civil rights riots. I am surprised I am still alive, lol. I thank the Lord I came out of the city. I can say the Nuns were tougher than the thugs that ran the streets lol. They were no nonsense. I can tell you stories maybe I will share some here lol. Have a good night on to read the rest of your Poetry... Michael Tor Date: 9/3/2022 10:16:00 PM The Italian American Premier League, I also played for the Portuguese First Division, and the Spanish Colo Colo First Division team. I was a forward, a striker. An offensive position to score goals. I wish I would have gone to Europe at the time. lol. I was a sprinter in track. Back then it was the hundred yard dash instead of 100 meters. I ran the fifty yard dash. the 100, and the 220. Through the Lord's blessing I did well in track. Also did some boxing. Unfortunately Milton I grew up in the city and it was a struggle just to go to school. I went to a private Catholic school and even there it was tough getting to school because of my neighborhood. Michael Tor Date: 9/3/2022 10:06:00 PM Milton I use to come home and do my homework and then play soccer until it got dark. It was my life at 18 years of age. We had a great team, I went up to varsity as a sophomore. I played indoor also during the winter. We went to Lebanon Pennsylvania and competed with 40 schools we took first place. We had several All Americans. I did not play my last two years my coach was very upset. The reason being wasw because my indoor coach played his favorites in the tournament and it really p--- me off to the point that I did not want to play for anyone. My pride got in the way and I was foolish to be so arrogant. Although the other coach was very unfair. So after graduating. I played for L Milton Hankins Date: 9/3/2022 6:16:00 PM All you have said is so true, Michael. I didn't realize you were a pro soccer player. So neat. I've never known a professional sports person before. Yes, you certainly could relate to this poem in a real and personal way. Michael Tor Date: 9/3/2022 3:06:00 PM sometimes disappointment. That is a hard pill to swallow. All you can do is your absolute best and try and be better. I realized that there are others that try just as hard as we to succeed and do. Competition sometimes can hurt ones ego. I know that from experience...Thank you for sharing. Your insightfulness is much appreciated...