* FLy *
Her days are spent in a hot, chalky gym,
everyday without question, for hours on end.
Her day begins before the sun's rise,
and off to the gym, no later than five.

After hours of practice, she arrives at school late,
time to think about algebra, gymnastics must wait.
Then straight from school, it's back to the gym,
she always works hard, goes out on a limb.

Flipping and twisting, every muscle is sore,
long before she walks out the door.
Each day she's achieving, setting new goals,
it's the way the game's played, it's part of the rules.

She's worked through the pain and conquered her fears,
accomplished the things she's tried to for years.
Practice is over, but she's not ready yet,
over to the bars, for just one more set.

Gliding and swinging between the two bars,
she's rising above and beyond, to the stars.
When she sticks her landing, the proud coaches sigh,
well before they all leave, there's no longer sun in the sky.

With school and gymnastics, there's no time for play,
a pretty tough life for this kid, one might say.
But in a sport where you peak at sixteen,
you've got to prepare all your life for this dream.

The best is what she's always aspired,
to be the role model, the one who's admired.
She was put with beginners when she was just four,
little did they know, she'd be oh-so-much more.

At thirteen years old she's a world class star,
for someone so young, she's gotten so far.
Always moving, never a break in this sport,
that's how it must be, in a career much too short.

"It's not worth all the pain," she's forever been told,
"to sacrifice your childhood for a shiny circle of gold."
True it's hard work, but this is something she knows,
she started gymnastics, realizing the path she had chose.

She knew the road traveled would be a tough one,
but whats the big deal- when the work is all fun?
They yell and critique, but they don't understand,
it's her life alone, and her dreams she has planned.

Don't frown little one- keep your head held up high,
because unlike them all. . .
you can fly




. . .you can *FLy*