Coleman Barks : "Glad"

In the glory of the gloaming-green soccer
field her team, the Gladiators, is losing


ten to zip. She never loses interest in
the roughhouse one-on-one that comes


every half a minute. She sticks her leg
in danger and comes out the other side running.


Later a clump of opponents on the street is chant-
ing, WE WON, WE WON, WE . . .  She stands up


on the convertible seat holding to the wind-
shield. WE LOST, WE LOST BIGTIME, TEN TO 


NOTHING, WE LOST, WE LOST. Fist pumping
air. The other team quiet, abashed, chastened.


Good losers don't laugh last; they laugh
continuously, all the way home so glad.





From Winter Sky by Coleman Barks 
Published by University of Georgia Press, 2008
University of Georgia Press