Best Stephanie Poems
As we pass through life,
most of the people we meet
simply splash off us like raindrops,
ephemeral and inconsequential;
many become casual acquaintances,
very few become life-long friends.
Then there are those unique ones
we come to know who re-define
our chemistry, who deepen our perceptions,
our insights and our feelings, and help
us to see colors more clearly
than ever before.
You are very special,
and I thank the spirits, whatever they may be,
for the opportunity to be your friend.
'Friendship is a Multitude.'
Thank you always
and unforgettably
for yours.
Stef, born in New Zealand’s fine country,
Moved to Canada aged 4 with her parents,
Where she had a boating accident aged 9,
Which amputated her right foot for her life.
She’s married to fellow Paralympian fast,
Canadian wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos,
And they both train at Loughborough Uni,
Where there’s a plethora of sports facilities.
Stef graduated from good Queens University,
In Biochemistry with honours and at times,
Is a professional speaker, a fashion model,
And lay preacher of the gospel and the way.
Before the accident Stephanie played rugby,
But afterwards she could not do this because,
Her prosthetic was at risk of detaching itself,
Mid-game and injuring near placed players.
So she went into track and field athletics,
Practised until she became sick and tired,
Which saw her make the 2008 Paralympics,
In Beijing when she won gold for the sprint.
She graced the podium often at small meets,
In Manchester and in London. Christchurch
Saw her flourish when she won two bronzes:
One for the long jump and one for the 200m.
In Swansea at the European games in 2014,
Stef took home for the T44 long jump a gold,
And in the London Paras which introduced,
So many to disability sport, she won a silver.
In Rio she won another silver, on the mark
For TeamGB. She hasn’t always represented,
Britain because when she was much younger,
She competed for Canada’s rocky territory.
I sit and wait
The hands of the clock move slowly forward
Already five minutes late
What is the delay, maybe the car he borrowed
Has broken down, so I sit and wait.
He left my Mam and me
A new family for him these days
Supposedly he must come and see
That I am alright, though he doesn’t pay
I sit and wait
All dressed up as though I care
Bathed and dressed in Sunday best
Hair washed a ribbon added to give flair
I sit and wait again
As I have done many times before
An hour has passed once more no show
I sit and wait
How many times is this allowed to go
When can I not get ready for my Dad
He walked away and broke my heart
From now on a new life I will start
No more waiting for his time to come
Dad’s life, I am no longer a part
Mam and I have a new home
I sit and wait no more
This time he came
No longer had I waited
I was not at home
In his life I no longer participate
I sit and wait no more.
Penned February 2nd 2014
Inspired by the painting by Stephanie Deshpande - Waiting
A Games Maker at London’s Paralympics 2012,
Stephanie used to be a competitor able-bodied,
In the Great Britain team, mind on the Olympics,
Even tho’ since 11 her eyes were bad, crummier.
One day when she was training in a 50m sprint,
She felt a sharp, sudden pain shoot down her arm,
Which she just ignored, but it soon re-emerged,
Such that today she’s possesses nerve damage.
She’s a para-swimmer and competes in contests,
With other disabled sportsmen and sportswomen,
Her first competition as such was in Sheffield city,
2013, the British International Swimming Champs.
So at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow,
2014, Stephanie won a silver for the 100m freestyle,
And then in Eindhoven which is in the Netherlands,
7 golds: 1 for back, 1 fly, 3 free, 1 relay, 2 medley.
In Funchal which is on Madeira, Portugal, in 2016,
On this approach to Rio Stephanie won 2 golds,
At the European Championships highly spirited,
1 for the 50m freestyle and 1 for the 100m butterfly.
In Rio Stephanie won the silver in 1 min 10.32 secs,
And sealed gold along with her familiar colleagues,
In the 4x100m medley relay 34pts. From Preston,
She practices in their Club, born 7th February 1991.
this is not what i wanted
this pain in my heart
all i do is wonder
is there pain in her heart
this dark cloud i'm under
follows me day and night
and there's something inside of me
screaming somethings not right
this is not lonliness
but something new
this is how i feel
when i cannot be with you
(inspired by, "Better, The Devil You Know")
I remember you fading in a playground frenzy,
Like the love and hate
Scribbled in the washroom stalls.
You wore a purple velvet hat
In September's warm glow,
And the same jacket as me;
Black with coloured flowers,
A zipper that always seemed to stick.
Young eyes squinting in the orange light of the sun;
You became one with the fresh air
While we only breathed it.
Your smile was wise and knowing.
You began to dance with one foot in heaven.
I remember a train of us running,
Our wild laughter the whistle.
I reached for your doll-like hand,
But this world had tired you too much to keep up.
Your mother's door remained boarded up
The day you were gone.
In my innocence I could not fathom
The empty running shoes in the hall,
The scent of the crayons
Once warmed by your hands.
But the longer I've roamed this place of uncertainty,
The better the pieces fit.
You may have been the catalyst
For my fear of death,
But you may too be
A disarming sting
In my empathetic heart.
I know not of this feeling, that dwells inside my breast
This bittersweet sensation that will not let me rest.
It started with a smile you threw one day when you passed by
And lingers long beyond that time, and I'm not sure why
I know a lot of girls but never have I felt like this
Never have I fantasized about a single kiss
Of course I know it cannot be, we live two different lives
Yours where wishes always grow, while mine fight to survive
The paths we walk are not the same, destined not to meet
The dreams I carry in my heart will never be complete
I'm sure that I'll get over you, forget what could have been
And wonder what it would be like, to be sixteen again
Victorious , crowned by your very name
Honoring your name each and every day
With your kindness you live up to the fame
If you fail you will never avoid the blame
You will pick yourself up and find a way
Victorious , crowned by your very name
Humble, no false pride would you claim
From this narrow path you refuse to stray
With your kindness you live up to the fame
In all your dealings I can't find any shame
Life can never be seen as a game we play
Victorious , crowned by your very name
The uneasiness I feel you're able to tame
Just with a look or a nice word you say
With your kindness you live up to the fame
All your greatness and sweetnessi proclaim
You are a sculptor and life is a piece of clay
Victorious , crowned by your very name
With your kindness you live up to the fame
My never ending
search for whatever
this psychologically gout
riddled rhyme stir to
write (a poem) about
found me figuratively
staring at a theme without doubt
devoid of any "FAKE"
trumping controversial clout,
which subject came in route
tummy mind questioned NOT
explicitly broadcasting best related
most definitely not
apropos to flout
the sensitivity and personal
privacy respectfully tendered
obeyed, and invoked, not to tout
yet an impression can nonetheless
this versatile scout
felt motivated be shared with you
a general over view
the therapist averred thru
the title of this poem, she who
doth "actively listen" pertaining,
asper emotional issues that stew
within the psyche, thus
appreciation as I gentile lee
talked non Jew
bull leant lee of foregone
opportunities till rue
men hating lost chunks of
mine formative years
witnessed self deprivation
(usurped, sponged, and bobbed
entire memory queue)
of ordinary healthy
development of body,
mind, and soul casting
more'n fifty shades
of a grayish hue
my psychological landscape,
where at puberty -
anorexia nervosa (minus bulimia
squarely took root grew)
wing essential nadir existence,
thy emaciated condition drew,
sans Matthew Scott Harris
who recognizes aversion
to grow into manhood blew
away so many necessary figurative
stepping stones permanent
stilted impact didst accrue,
and merely hearing my recitation
of plaintive glue
me emotional reverberations,
now overlain by many
a displeasing faux pas,
and metaphorical boo boo
actions as a father
affecting mindscape
of near grown daughters the "ear"
of assigned therapist
appreciation doth issue.
there is no one like Stephanie
she must be God’s epiphany
not only did he break the mold
he forged her heart of solid gold
More lovely than a sunburst with hair of fiery red
How radiant, how beautiful, how dear cannot be said
Her big green eyes can hypnotize like owls catch your gaze
Big apple of my everything, the eye of all amaze
As high as I can place you on a cloud of my adore
You rise above all measure, and I love you even more
As bright a star as I can see in all the milky way
You outshine every means of light in every single way
Whatever frame of time you have, whatever tray of hope
Cup of courage or compassion, ounce of cheer, wisp of care
You offer up in kindness for whatever be the need
A little joy, a spot of tea, reward is here nor there
Copyright © Mike Martin 2015
I'm all alone in a dark alley.
I wish to be in a green valley
where people live within
instead of a cold dark alley.
But in real life,
I'm all alone in the night.
All cold and sad.
It's all bad and I'm mad.
It's all dark and scary.
I wish I had a bud named Larry
even though it would be worse
unless I don't have a curse.
Just after diagnosis with MS,
Stephanie took injections,
Beta interferon injections,
Which saw her to Beijing.
She was originally, in the past,
A British team swimmer,
A really good swimmer,
So she continued on in the Paras.
2010 and the World Champs,
Held in the city of Eindhoven,
In Holland, where lies Eindhoven,
Holland is also called the Netherlands.
There Stephanie won five silvers,
Plus one very sure bronze,
Proud of that bronze,
So she qualified for the Euros.
2011 and in Berlin, DE,
Stephanie won three golds,
Add two silvers onto these golds,
To get the result.
At the London Paralympics,
Stephanie won four silvers,
Three were individual silvers,
Plus one 4x100m relay bronze.
In 2013, the Worlds, Montreal,
Golds: Stephanie won four,
Her prides came to four,
Plus one shining silver.
Then 2014 at the Euros,
In Eindhoven she sealed six golds,
Add one silver onto these golds,
And also one bronze.
In Rio Stephanie won two more golds,
One for the 100m backstroke,
No more an S9, now S8 backstroke,
And one for the 4x100m medley relay.
(This is a fictional poem)
Last week I felt great fear.
I met Erin Moran and Stephanie Weir.
Erin starred in Happy Days and Stephanie starred in Mad TV.
They joined forces and beat the hell out of me.
They whooped me because I accidentally called them Stephanie Weird and Erin
Moron.
When they got through beating me, most of my teeth were gone.
That ticked me off so I slapped them and told them that they are witches who
should be flying on brooms.
They attacked me again and sent me to the emergency room.
I'll never again be able to watch Happy Days or Mad TV.
If you ever meet Moran or Weir, watch what you say to them or you'll go to the
hospital like me.
Oh, I can’t believe who I now see.
Is that really you my dear Stephanie?
You have changed so much in such a short time.
Right now, you appear absolutely sublime!
Remember that jerk in our high school homeroom?
He was the one who always called you “Boom-Boom”.
He kept saying you were a fat and ugly cow.
Wait until he sees what you are looking like now.
You sacrificed those calories, and you look great.
He does not know that you are married and lost weight.
Well, he won’t be seeing you on this occasion.
He committed crimes and was sentenced to prison.
So Lisa, you went off to go to college.
You were always one for gaining knowledge.
It is so nice to see you again.
Everyone remembers the class valedictorian.
Have you met anyone interesting as of late?
I remember when you went out with that blind date.
He left you at that movie, that conniving rat.
Don’t worry Lisa. You can do better than that.
Will the spell she casts
In time be broken?
And the pain that lingers
Be the token
Of a soul once whole
Left torn and broken?
All hopes placed on the morrow
And that time will heal
Such pain and sorrow
As of now and forever be
Nightly dreams bestow on me
Visions of
My Stephanie