SECOND PLACE *

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.