Best Second Best Poems
"Best day ever!" I had a habit of sayin'
After another day of plentiful playin'
Then came the dawn.
This here day's gone!
Tomorrow's the best 'cause this'n ain't stayin'
~
Today can only be the best
Until it takes a nighttime rest
Tomorrow's task
For all. To bask
In the shadow of a new day's breast
Romeo and Juliet, was written second best
For even Shakespeare himself, could have only guessed
That somewhere in a future place, a story would soon unfold
That would last throughout the ages and forever be retold
There would be no fancy thee's or thou's strewn across the page
No feuding families fighting wars, filled with all their rage
There would be no big finale, to only end in death
No poison would be swallowed, not a scent upon their breath
A story like this can only live when love was meant to last
A legendary tale of endless love that would never be surpassed
Handed down through history to make two lovers swoon
A story told ten million times beneath the lover's moon
Romeo and Juliet was just a fairy tale
And in comparison to the story we wrote, it would even pale
Written in a language that lovers will forever discuss
The story I've been talking about is simply the story of us
Is second best so bad to be
Why does it always happen to me
I meet a girl we talk
but they never need me as their rock
Then i find out she wants another
After saying im not ready for a relationship
Why cant i pick a winner
In the past was i a sinner
Its just hard to be me
I wish i was free
Free from these chains that hold me
These binds that enslave me
I pray just make me acceptable
Or even impeccable
Or just let me meet someone
Who loves me for me
The one person who will set me free
Loose these chains from me
And set me free before my death
Giving my best is all I’ve ever done
Sadly, it never amounted to enough
A lifetime spent chasing number one
As dream after dream went puff
In cycling, I coveted the yellow vest
After a momentary lapse, my foot slipped from the pedal
Adorned with the red ribbon I’ve grown to detest
Once again I’m tarnished by a silver medal
The big race dawned; it ignited a flame
Time to shine bright in radiant gold
I practiced hard and was on top of my game
Yet another miserable year spent out in the cold
I just can’t seem to get over the line
To drink victory champagne from the golden cup
The silver in my cabinet, deemed a failure’s shrine
It appears my destiny is to be runner-up
Many years have passed as I’ve grown to adulthood
Never once did I make it to my golden dream
But my son now stands where I once stood
Except he’s got a spark that burns supreme
My youth was a turbulent wave of second-best
It made me feel like such a sinner
But seeing my child now ride the crest
My heart bursts with pride that he’s the winner
youve been in my life for 18 long years
and all ive ever wanted was to be with you
you didnt even notice that growing up
i was trying to get close to you
you were my friend for so long
and everytime you got your heart broken
i would cry for you
you were strong and didnt show it
but i know you hurt over it
and now that im finally with you
after waiting so long
im afraid...
you said you would never hurt me
and i believed you
but now that youre spending more time with her
im starting to wonder.
i wonder whats really going on between you two
if its just friendship after the long relationship
or if there is more that im not seeing
i get so scared when she is around
because you dont see the way you look at her
the way you smile when she talks
the way you are so comfortable with her around
the way your eyes light up when she walks in
the way you say her name in your sleep
it seems so obvious to me that you still love her
how could you not?
you two share an unbreakable bond
and no matter how hard you fight it
no matter how many times you tell me its nothing
i know thats a lie
there is something there
something im missing
something...something
dont think that im trying to replace her.
that is the last thing i would want to do
i really do love you
but ill never be her
youll never look at me like that
youll never love me like that
you say you love me...
is it true?
or will i just be
second to you...
One
Eventually
Becomes two
After first
I became
the same
you know who
First must
have fell
I came running
when you yelled
You told me
number two
resembled first
took me a second
then I realized
second was worse
She’s been here before
Being the last to know
The first to be left
The last he would know
Come back to.
Never realizing she was
Second best.
She’d always wonder:
Is he breaking up
with her today?
That’s the price you pay
For being second best.
She cries in despair
and hopes that
her broken heart will mend
If she hopes of never being
Second best again.
HAVE YOU EVER FELT NOT GOOD ENOUGH
NOT EVEN IN LOVE.
WHEN IT COMES TO FRIENDS I FAIL THE TEST.
I COME IN SECOND BEST.
WHEN IT COMES TO MOST CHOSEN
YOU’RE NOT MOST.
WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKS
YOU NEVER MADE THE BOOK.
I AM SECOND BEST.
IT RESTS AT BETTER THAN NOTHING
BUT WHAT IS NOTHING?
I CAN’T BE MYSELF AT ALL.
I DON’T STAND TALL.
I’M ONLY A NEED ME PERSON ON A QUEST.
I’M TIRED OF BEING SECOND BEST.
I've been here before,
Being the last to know,
The first to be left,
The last he would,
Come back to,
Never realizing I am
Only second best.
I'd always wonder
Is he breaking up
With her today?
That's the price I pay
For being second best.
I cry in despair
And in hopes that
My broken heart will mend.
In hopes of never being,
Second best again!
There's nothing like the gold,
the glory of finishing first.
You drink the streams of victory,
as I suffer through losing thirst.
You walk on this road proudly,
the path of unending fame.
Your success is a lovely hill,
mine is a mountain of shame.
Every woman that you pass,
kneels down at your very feet.
The world is your red carpet,
as I walk this empty street.
The nights are always fading,
into blackness I am dismissed.
You light up darkened places,
and I am tossed into the mist.
No one will shoot you down,
that shield of yours stays true.
While I must dodge the bullets,
with the gun barrel as my view.
Yet the quality you do show,
the one that touches my heart.
Even though I want you gone,
our worlds shall never part.
. for public domain
(For those who treasure Plato's Phaedo)
We see the living and the dead,
not all with fear, not all with dread.
Some impassionedly we plead
to leave our presence, or to proceed
to engage the lives we lead.
Socrates chuckled, approaching death,
"Philosophers know well its breath,
as they draw the air of living.
For them there is no misgiving.
From neither one need any fear,
as either one draws to us near.
Whether awaits a bliss or hell,
face them both with a life lived well."
. for public domain
( liberally inspired from Socrates' "second best account" from Plato's dialogue Phaedo )
Up the road a little and beside a pond,
with a view of dew which she grew so fond,
where she shed her Grace after her demise,
and a lifetime of forgiven lies,
near a wooden cross, a throw from an Oak,
a Preacher preached with tears as he spoke,
"We shall miss her kind voice, her soft embrace,
miles of smiles from her pretty face,
Though none of it real, we needed the show
of what Life could be, and not what we know.
To her old age, from the time of her youth
she gave no care for low gestures of truth.
So let us give praise for she who would lie,
who faced Life truly with a heave and a sigh,
but always looked Upwards for the Gift of Grace,
and let that Truth shine from a suffering face."
Tell me:
How is it that you can just shut the door on our relationship and not do me the courtesy of letting me know?
Tell me:
How is it that after conversing with me nearly every day for years, you no longer send even a simple text 'hello'?
Tell me:
How is it that you can just dismiss the feelings you felt so strongly for me, and then replace them with someone that strokes your ego?
Just tell me
September 30, 2020
@katladyt_
Friends tell me to open my eyes
See what they see
Remove the disguise
Look deep inside what's in front of me
Could you be love?
Is this to be?
On flying wings I rush to you
Singing songs, harmonies new
Inside flutters, trembling desire
Longing for internal fire
Awaiting arms to hold me close
To not faulter
To flee the ghosts
Past walls built come tumbling down
With your every word
In love I drown
Months go by happy are we
Talking ever after
Just him and me
Until she--
Enter old flames that never died
Words unfaultered
Though I hear the cry
My ever after felt a crack
When he said " she'll be back"
I'm only second best.
Woman, when it came to loving me
I knew I was always second best
But can you tell me why you had to
always leave my heart in such a mess
You kept me hidden in your darkness
placed me on your shelf with all the rest
Until you needed a heart to break
then you would tell me you loved me best
You would show me off to all your friends
fill me up with all your hopes and lies
Seems you got your kicks from hurting me
just like pulling the wings off of flies
I’ve tried so hard to stand up to you
oh, how I have prayed to God above
To please reach into this heart of mine
and carry away all of my love
Still I hope someday you’ll settle down
and need the love you’ve always suppressed
Then you might ask for my company
and know I was never second best