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Wednesday, 24 August 2016

Hail To The Unhealthy

Hail To The Unhealthy

So now that the Olympics are over
And we’ve welcomed back the medal-winners
On their golden-nosed British Airways flight
It’s time to give consideration, to the real heroes of the games
but it’s not the famous names
those who won the bronze, or silver, or gold
who trained hard and were bold
not those of super-human means
not even those behind the scenes
not those who coach and who train
nor those that practised over and over again
nor even the organisers…
no – it should be people like me
think about it – it’s easy to see
why I say this should be….

I never took up an Olympic sport
Never entered a squash or tennis court
Never threw a javelin or a shot putt
Never developed a boxer’s six-pack gut
Never sweated out moisture in litres
Nor raced in a sprint, or the ten thousand meters
Not once did I consider an athletic event…
Can’t you see what this meant?
My decision to go through life with a soft pedal
Gave others far more chance of winning a medal!

So let’s salute those who woke up every morning and said “No!
I can’t be arsed, and won’t go down to the gym”,
Or “I’m way too tired to go for a long swim!”
Let’s pay tribute to those who were brave enough to say:
“Today is definitely not my day!”
To those who gave in to the temptation of chips, and of cheese
To those who were prepared to be simply obese
To those urban warriors who, when it came right down to it,
When it really, really mattered, just couldn’t give a shit
To those who stood on the side-lines of the path to glory
Who couldn’t be bothered to write any different story
Who waved nonchalantly at the efforts of others
The middle-aged men who still live with their mothers
To the sleeping giants that pressed “snooze”
With a lifetime dedicated to fags and to booze
To those with firmly sedentary roles
And who failed to meet even their own low goals

To these dedicated people I say:
“You chose to pursue your own lazy way
Being fit and healthy doesn’t always pay,
So look up, look up, for today is your day!”


Copyright Andy Fawthrop 2016

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