Get Up and Win the Race

This is an inspirational poem that I read years ago and have typed up here for you!

Get Up and Win the Race!!

Quit, give up – you’re beaten
They shout out and plead
There’s just too much against you
This time you can’t succeed

And as I start to hang my head
In front of failure’s face
My downward fall is broken
By the memory of a race

New hope refills my weakened will
As I recall that scene
For just the thought of that short race
Rejuvenates my being

A children’s race, young boys, young men
How I remember well
Excitement sure, but also fear
It wasn’t hard to tell

They all lined up so full of hope
Each thought to win that race
Or tie for first or if not that
At least take second place

And fathers watch from off the side
Each cheering for his son
And each boy hoped to show his dad
That he would be the one

The whistle blew and off they went
Young hearts and hopes afire
Toe win- to be the hero there
Was each young boy’s desire

And one boy in particular
Whose dad was in the crowd
Was running in the lead and thought
My dad will be so proud

But as he speeded down the field
Across the shallow dip
The little boy who thought to win
Lost his step and slipped
He fell and with him hope
He couldn’t win it now
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished
To disappear somehow

But as he fell his dad stood up
And showed his anxious face
Which to the boy so clearly said
Get up and win the race

He quickly rose, no damage done
Behind a bit, that’s all
And ran with all his mind and might
To make up for the fall

So anxious to restore himself
To catch up and to win
His mind went faster than his legs
He slipped and fell again

He wished that he had quit before
With only one disgrace
I’m hopeless as a runner now
I shouldn’t try to race

But in the laughing crowd he searched
And found his father’s face
That steady look which said again
Get up and win the race

So he jumped up to try again
Ten yards behind the last
If I’m to gain those yards he thought
I’ve got to move real fast

Exerting everything he had
He gained eight or ten
But trying so hard to catch the lead
He slipped and fell again

Defeat! He lay there silently
A tear dropped from his eye
There’s no sense running anymore
Three strikes – I’m out, why try?

The will to rise had disappeared
All hope had fled away
So far behind, so error prone
A loser all the way

I’ve lost, so what’s the use, he thought
I’ll live with my disgrace
But then he thought about his dad
Who soon he’d have to face

Get up! An echo sounded low
Get up and take your place
You’re not meant for failure here
Get up! And win the race

With borrowed will, get up it said
You haven’t lost it all
For winning is not more than this
To rise each time you fall

So up he rose to win once more
And with a new commit
He resolved that win or lose
At least he wouldn’t quit

So far behind the others now
The most he’d ever been
Still he gave it all he had
And ran as though to win

Three times he fell in stumbling
Three times he’d rose again
Too far behind to hope to win
He still ran to the end

They cheered the running winner
As he crossed the line first place
Head held high and proud and happy
No falling, no disgrace

But when the fallen youngster
Crossed the line last place
The crowd gave him the greater cheer
For finishing the race

And even though he’d come in last
His head bowed low unproud
You would’ve thought he’d won the race
To listen to the crowd

And to his dad he sadly said
“I didn’t do so well”
“To me you won”, his father said
“You rose each time you fell”

And when things deem dark and hard
And difficult to face
The memory of that little boy
Helps me in my race

For all of life is like that race
Ups and downs and all
And all you have to do to win
Is rise, each time you fall

Quit, give up, you’re beaten
They still shout in my face
But another voice within me says
Get up! And win the race!