Defeat

Pondering the Olympics this morning and thinking:

The goal is always to succeed,
to win as it's defined,
and yet the guts of life and truth,
comes on the losing side.
The Romans had a slave behind
as they rode basked in triumph,
to whisper stark realities;
how brief is victory's smile.
There is no doubt that winning,
is something to acclaim,
but also to remember,
that losing stands and waits.