O Sponsor! My Sponsor! Our marathon’s undiminished
The number 1 rule is satisfied, for all of us have finished!
The rankings are clear, the comments sincere—a poets’ celebration,
While eyes peruse the final list, the roster of champions!
But O fatigue! fatigue! fatigue!
27 contests have taken their toll
In welcome repose our Sponsor chose
Three years' rest ere the next marathon roll
If you can muster up your heart and soul and energy
To stay with you long after they’d normally be gone
And so keep writing when it seems there’s nothing in you
Except sheer willpower that keeps you hanging on;
If you can interact with your fellow poets and keep your virtue,
Or experience setbacks and not lose your humanity;
If you seldom if ever place in the top ten
Yet continue running shunning pride and vanity;
If you can finish each unforgiving marathon mile
With determination to keep running till the end—
Yours will be the glorious satisfaction of having finished
And—what’s more—you’ll be a poet marathoner, my friend!
Half the course, half the course,
Half the course finished
Each one all in, to the end
Run the relentless
Forward the runners bold!
Charge the vic’try arch—their goal
Each one all in, to the end
Run the relentless
Challenges to the right of them,
Challenges to the left of them,
Challenges in front of them
Still they are fearless
No need to ask them why
They’ll give you no reply
Spirit you can’t deny
Each one all in, to the end
Run the relentless
I am Marathon man
Marathon man I am
Do you like
Dirt roads of sand?
I do not like them,
Marathon man
I do not like dirt roads of sand
Would you prefer them
At the start or end?
I would not like them
At the start or end
I would not like them
Anywhere, my friend
I do not like
Dirt roads of sand
I do not like them,
Marathon man
Mixed-surface races
Save your feet
Much better than
The hard, paved street
I recommend
Dirt roads of sand
Try them! Try them!
I am Marathon man
Marathon man, If you let me be
I will try them, yessiree!
(… and he tries them …)
Say! Dirt roads of sand
Do help my feet
Much better than
The hard, paved street
I do so like dirt roads of sand!
Thank you! Thank you! Marathon man
Beyond this race of aches and pain
Looms large the struggle to make the grade,
And yet the mental and physical strain
Finds me now and forever unafraid
It matters not the starting gate,
The grueling race will take its toll,
But I’m a marathoner great
I’ll master all to reach my goal
do not go gentle into that good race
Tired muscles should burn and ache by race’s end
Run, run against the slowing of your pace
Number one if I can—maybe last—we shall see;
Either way, at the finish line I shall be.
Ready to run and spread Marathon charm
In every mile’s contest do more good than harm
Doing nothing unfair to raise any alarm
The course is lovely, hills are steep
But I need a steady pace to keep
And miles to go–I must dig deep
And miles to go–I must dig deep
Quiet as a mousie studying the route
Praying proper prep is not in vain
The best laid plans of marathoners
Might lead to disarray
Race day ending in grief and pain
At the expense of joy!
Running after Midnight is eerie
Passing mile twenty-one, weak and weary
All other runners finished early
A few quaint and curious are waiting
Some encouraging, some baiting
Only this and nothing more
Quoth my sore feet “Nevermore”
Two roads diverged on the marathon course
And obviously, I couldn’t travel both
And neither were they clearly marked
So I took the one I thought was best
And now I’m far behind the rest
water puddle
marathoners running
soaked sneakers squishing
An author Dr Seuss you see
Who in my youth inspired me
While sitting on my mother's knee
She would read contentedly
She'd read me the Cat In The Hat
The Foot Book/other books like that
And now I write with childlike glee
Most styles and forms of poetry
For you to enjoy
Um, hopefully!
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.