I know people no one else can see,
Some are friends, yet some are enemies,
The enemies scare and torture me,
I tell them to stop, but when I do they scream,

They scream about how I'm not right in the head,
They scream about how they wish I were dead,
The kinder ones calm me and tell me not to fret,
But all I can do is lay and cry in my bed.

I know I'm not normal and I never have been,
I was even made fun of and rejected by my kin,
But being different just is not a sin,
So I hide away and try to ignore them.

The friendly ones help me when I am in need,
And I know that their warnings are ones I must heed,
They say that the enemies have planted a seed,
Of evil in me that I absolutely must not let grow into a tree.

I think I've gone crazy, but how should I know,
My thoughts have never been only my own,
All the other kids want to play in the snow,
But all I want to do is run away and go.

I cannot stop running, no matter what I do,
I run from my problems and know not where I run to,
I've already ruined three pairs of shoes,
Now when people talk of my old enemies I say who?

They are out of my life, for running gives me peace,
In this race, my problems are whom I have beat,
I just run automatically, I don't move my feet,
In races others have no chance against me.

I've been chosen by my country to run,
In something they call the Olympics, they're fun,
All I must do is race and win, then I'm done,
I've now finished the race, and a gold medal I've won.

My problems have resulted in something of beauty,
I feel now that running for America's my duty,
Unlike other great runners, I am not snooty,
Because I've struggled to get where I am currently.