As awards sailed my way thrilled I was
when my speeches garnered applause
An orator par excellence, they said.
Bouquets, beauties, bed of roses!

Limousines, luminaries lined my path
meet, eat, drink, dance, days roll on,
whining never known, smiling my means
globetrotting so glorious, no time for dear ones!

Undulations, upheavals, shocks and blocks
source unknown, life turns sour
debility, delusion, declining state -
troubles visit never alone, the bard sang right!

Place in multiiverse never ignored,
font and faith ever intact-
gloat not on podium, sink not in shame
HE chose me for all, then and now!
[For Arthur Ashe]