Playing the Game

On match days,

I try to make sure

I play very well

and am first to score.

My team’s in blue,

the others are in grey.

In the heat of the minute

if I give the ball away,

it’ll be just too bad,

I won’t be picked next time;

it couldn’t be worse

if I’d committed a crime.

Don’t worry, Dad says,

A game’s just a game

but I’d like to be a star  ̶

maybe make my name.

Katherine Gallagher

• Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #35

Katherine said:  My poem ‘Playing the Game’ is  in response to the notion of  ‘star performance’, being a star, however  briefly and so on. Especially on the sports field.