Olympic Dreams
It starts with a dream…
Citius, altius, fortius
To be the fastest, the highest, the strongest, the sportiest
To take the precious natural gifts we’re given
And be driven to new times, new heights, new weights
To join that hallowed list of all-time greats
Who found their brave, their brilliant, their bold
By digging deeper, further, longer to unearth Olympic gold
It starts with a dream…
To pursue with every fibre of brain and body and soul
That singular, stellar, spectacular, sporting goal
Until its relentless, restless, repetitive day in, day out pursuit
Fuelled by an endless zest to accept nothing but success
Bears the sweetest fruit
And on the way, before the dawning of that perfect day
To draw on the daunting lessons of defeat with no shame or retreat
And come back fast and high and strong
To put your body, your nation, your race, in the exalted place
Where destiny dictates it should belong
It starts with a dream…
To let the watching world begin
To share and comprehend the will, the hunger, the skill
It takes just to take part, let alone to win
The strain, the ‘no pain no gain’, the salty tears of sweat
All endlessly endured with a single thought in mind
The heady scent of being ahead that leaves all the suffering behind
That triumphant glow that as a child you long to touch, to taste, to see
Sat cross-legged and transfixed by your Olympic heroes on TV
Thinking maybe, just maybe, this could be me
It only takes one person to win
For a million dreams of future glory to begin
It starts with a dream…
To celebrate a battle of wills that leaves no lasting universal ills
But channels the age-old Corinthian art; the joy in simply taking part
Rejoicing in rivalry that can strengthen human nature, not weaken lands
Between birds of a sporting feather, sticking together for the good of life’s greater plans
Keeping competition clean and keen and healthily alive
In a peaceful, positive spirit that helps every contestant in the human race to thrive
Where after the fight we all, as friendly foes, re-unite
With a hug, a shrug and a ‘well done you’ hi five
It starts with a dream…
And whether it ends in ecstasy and joy or heartbreak and pain
In a few more years, through all the smiles and tears
Nothing on earth would hold us back
From wanting to do it all again