No Glory

in retrospect
the finish line is what's glorified

remembrance of jubilation
news articles
and video spots
photos worth a million words
and even more footsteps

how do you prepare for the next
when you only remember the good?

dig deep.
remember the squeaking of wet shoes
socks saturated with dirt
the sting of old bandages creating new blisters

staggering out of bed
on 2 hours of sleep
stuffing swollen feet into damp shoes
for another 20 hour day

the way a mile can last forever
or how you can't squat for a trailside shit
how it's possible to forget germ phobias
sitting in a portapotty
actually enjoying it

when you can't keep your chin up
and your headlight beams down
illuminating fresh bear tracks
hair on the back of your neck stands up
on a cold night, with mist pouring down
and everything is soggy

the owls hoot a sad and lonely song
created solely for the way you feel
and everyone else is living their normal life

and a warm bed is hundreds of miles away

kp