anticipation

it is 5 am,
too early to get up
but too late to go back to sleep.

my sheets are cold.

it is 5:30 am,
too early to go outside
but too late to stay inside.

my hands are cold. 

it is 6 am
and i am at the rink
ready to play the game.

my lips are numb.

it is 6:30 am
and i am at the door
ready to play my best.

my ears are numb.

it is 9 am;
we are headed
to the championships.

my arms are sore. 

it is 9:30 am;
we are headed
to the nearby coffee shop.

my legs are sore.

it is 1:46 pm
and we are in
a shootout.

i can't breathe.

it is 1:47 pm
and it is my turn
to shoot the puck.

i can't move.

it is 2 pm
and we won.

i am crying.

it is 2:15
and no one had moved.

i am still crying. 

i am crying because
i have never been this proud
of anyone or anything.
i am the captain of 
a team of champions;
i am a kid and i have won
my first tournament with
my first real team. 

i am still crying about it
three weeks and
two days later.