LatinosUSA

They said, at the finish
the Italian and I
were in joint first place
would share the gold medal
as the clock measured
in hundredths of a second
couldn’t separate us
What a clock
I ran for the finish tape
he dived for the finish line
Unique, they said
as if we should be proud
The camera at the finishing line
shows my foot a half millimetre in front
of his outstretched fingertips
which makes the Italian toast
they said I was blinkered
I thought of all the sacrifice
hours, blood, sweat and tears
that led me to that point
and I raged.
I jumped up and down
took off my vest and waved it around
asked for help from the heavens
condemned officials to hell
but to no avail
authorities smiled indulgently
said they understood my frustration
One suggested I run faster
next time
and win by a bigger margin
I thought that an admission I’d won
they said it was a slip of the tongue
did he tell the Italian
to grow longer fingernails
next time
I’ll get a gold medal
but history will show
an asterisk beside my name