I love two people into watching sports.
I can’t assert I understand the draw.
Enthusiasm they insist supports
their teams – it matters – but I never saw
the evidence, and when I’m in the zone
(not often or heroic, but I’ve played),
it feels like I’m exerting hard alone,
not noticing the sounds a witness made.

And when they compliment a gracious loss,
and state that’s why all children ought to learn
by playing team athletics how to cross
from glad success to class defeat, I burn
with disagreement – competition’s fair,
but no kid needs a team to take her there.