Tokyo Olympics Versus Covid-19 Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

At the Olympics
many athletes, many players,
many teams, many competitors
from all over the world gather
to compete with one another
and to jostle side by side
in an attempt to win a number one place
or number two place
or a number three place
so that they can stand
on that victory podium
and collect their medals -
gold, silver or bronze.
They yearn to compete, win
and feel victorious;
and though they are all adults
they feel joyous like little children
yet they uphold devout sportsmanship.
These Olympic participants
take part in many track and field events
such as running, swimming, wrestling,
playing games - hockey, football
badminton, tennis,
no cricket, no basketball
but high jump, long jump
and everything that is on the cards.
For years these participants train themselves
as they want to prove
that they are the world's best;
and the world wants to look
at the top champions
and as they keep winning,
each country feels so proud
when their countryman or woman wins a medal
even if it is silver or bronze.
Olympics is that event the world waits for,
host-countries prepare their venues;
the Olympic city then becomes the focus
the center of attraction
where adults brace against each other
to prove to the world - I am the best
just like little children telling their friends
- I am the best, I am the best among the rest.
And these countries which host the Olympics
always so enthusiastic
always spending huge money
to construct new stadiums, new tracks
new hotels, new roads
to promote this mega-event called the Olympics.
And as the world keeps watching
all keep forgetting the lavish expenditures
incurred by the country hosting the event;
and when the Olympic torch is lit
and the Olympic Ceremony is commemorated
the games and the entertainment go on
without any forethought:
as these countries that host the Olympics
can instead spent their money
to enrich the lives of their own people
and provide better opportunities
to their own lower strata society
and improve their own country's economy.
The COVID-19 is also an eye-opener
as a catastrophe like the Pandemic
has toppled the lives of so many people
as those who were infected
needed support of medicines, treatment and care
and they keep suffering from life-long disabilities
which were so unforeseen;
while some families have lost
their loved one who was the sole breadwinner
some families have lost their mothers and fathers,
brothers and sisters to COVID-19
and the earning members of the families have perished.
Yet, the Olympics did not stop its mooring
but a class of people who are healthy adults
kept running, jumping, wrestling, boxing
doing every activity of sports
to win places and prizes
in order to capture titles and medals
and to prove to the world
they are the best sportsmen and women
while in their own country
in the ICU's their friends and family members
keep clinging to ventilators
due to COVID-19 infections.
Yes, the world so callous
the world kept applauding the winners and victors
not realizing that Olympics is an occasion
where time, money and energy is wasted
celebrating someone's talent
when the whole world is encompassed
by a suffering and dilemma that a virus is causing
which is taking the world
on a dreadful run for their lives
yet, those Olympics kept encouraging competitors
as if the world is a stadium
and the games must go on.