“Olympic Spirit”: A Poem

 

 

Beneath a colourful display

of peace and friendship,

athletes in Sochi 2014

competed under the most unusual

conditions.

 

Surrounded by security personnel,

snipers,

helicopter gunships,

they strive for peak performance

while their email accounts are sniffed,

text messages intercepted,

social media monitored –

so that no terrorists, gays,

or other such extremists

spoil the spirit

of the greatest show

on Earth.

 

By Shai Ben-Shalom

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