Second place has always gotten a bad rap.
Phrases like, “second fiddle,” “second banana,”
“also-ran” and “runner-up,” to name a few,
of the pejorative terms that indicate
you have not garnered the top prize.
But what is so wrong with second place?
It’s an accomplishment in and of itself.
It’s a cozy nook that fits just behind first place.
(There may even be prize money.)
In a competitive world, not everybody
can throw their hands up and take a victory lap.
So have seconds, slide safely into second,
and avoid the glaring spotlight of
celebrity interviews and photo shoots.
I will put on my second-hand shirt,
select my second favorite hat
and walk slowly down Second Street,
shunning the rush of people who
are insanely driven to be first in everything.
THE POETRY OF THE GAME