Sitting next to my parents on the sidelines,
Dreams of some day playing on that field rush through my head.
Eyes of admiration,
For they are who I one day wish to become.
Everyone watches them
Living through the promise of conquest
And the anguish of defeat.

As I step foot on the hallowed ground for the first time,
I see my future ahead of me,
And wonder what memories I myself will make here.
What will I achieve?
Who will I become?
My future carpets the ground before me,
A legacy left in the making.

As I sit alone
On the very ground in which my dreams were born,
I look back upon the families formed,
Memories made,
And tears cried.
I take a moment to realize:
This is the place that made me.

Now as I take my final stand,
Drops remain captured beneath my eyelids,
As the many memories rush through my head
For the final time.

I always knew this day would come,
But now that it’s here:

My lip quivers,
I close my eyes,
Choking back the inevitable tears.
I hang my head,
Take a final hesitant breath,
And jog off
For the last time.