The Boy In Red
The populous nation was full of hope for their track and field,
Thus brimming with wonder for what their hero Liu would yeild.
The hero who had broken long lasting records,
His trademark face posted on billboards.
And yet this boy, who had made history,
Sat on the track, face stricken with agony.
A malicious malady, acquired in the past,
Had come to haunt him, here at last.
With pressure mounting, he fought his pain,
The end whistle had been blown and will not sound again.
Liu fell in anguish before the first hurdle,
The hush of the crowd could make blood curdle.
To finish the race, he had been eager,
But this boy was no longer the leader.
One fact could never be eluded,
His Olympic experience was clearly concluded.
Poetry by Ahmet Dalkic, Epping Boy's High School - Australia