I Am Determined: An Ode to Dorsett, Frost, and Scritchfield*
Behind two back I stand
Waiting for the first Back's hand
Which holds the thing
To make me spring
To reach the touchdown's brand.
Sometimes I'm hit,
Which brings great pain
But it's even worse
When my run's in vain
Because some lineman
Jumps offsides,
And the Ref yells out,
"That'll cost you five!"
But through all this,
I must keep running'
So the defense will think:
"He's quite stunning"
They'll key on me
From that play on,
But I am determined
To keep on going.
*When I wrote this poem nearly 30 years ago as a ninth grade student, I don't remember giving it a title. However, when Dr. Laura Stout, Principal at Jackson Middle School in Grand Prairie Texas Independent School District asked for a copy of the poem to share with her students; I realized my poem needed a title. So, on the plane ride home, I thought for a few minutes and came up with the title above: "I Am Determined: An Ode to Dorsett, Frost, and Scritchfield. I know it's a weird title, but if you've ever heard me talk about how I came to write this poem, you will understand why all three names are important.
