today i tied the laces of my cleats and my headphones fed me
one song on repeat.  i always use double knots because
i am afraid of falling (and this is not a metaphor for love)

and my coach told me to figure out a rhythm, so
i sang myself breathless, running until muscles caught fire,
the metallic taste of overworked lungs lit the flares.

today i jumped (at a chance to do something right), today
i fell and missed.  this is not a metaphor for love but i know
you'll interpret it however you want.

sometimes you've got to come to terms with the fact that
it will hurt but you need to jump, and that is most important.
because you never proved you cared and i learned to swim

when i was four but the undertow gets me every time, when
you show up unannounced.  i sang it under my breath.
it couldn't keep me in time.  

it was the last ten minutes of the second half, and i
couldn't help the feeling that i had failed completely.
and i'd be lying if i said i had forgotten.

today i tied the laces of my cleats in double knots and i
did not anticipate the shove from behind.  i cannot
play soccer correctly when you're taking up space in my brain.

today i made mistakes because of you

(and i won't admit that this is a metaphor for love)