The Impermanence Of The Popular Teenage Athlete Poem by Raj Dronamraju

In those days, he was much lauded for throwing a football
And much desired by his female classmates because of this
And much celebrated with his own car at a young age and homecoming king vote totals and numerous appearances in yearbook photos

In these days, he does landscaping and whatever gardening work he can find
Has a 15 year old pick-up truck with his business name on the side
"Drummond Horticulture" and the I is slightly faded so it looks like "Hortculture"

And he lives alone in a garage apartment
And he walks with a slight limp
And on holidays his landlord invites him in the house for a drink and a meal

The things he could do as a young man were transitory things
He was never going to build a rocket ship to Mars
Laying down a lawn, helping create a Japanese garden
They will have some kind of lasting legacy at least for a few people

And in glory days in superficial Pax Americana (not really)
All would like to walk in the same shoes as the young athlete, all would not think more than a few months forward
All would not need to develop character or a sense of worth as an individual
All would end up in the same garage apartment