Winter Olympics

In my opinion, we should penalise perfection.
Instead, we should award the laurel wreath
to those who try too hard 
who fail through an excess of self-belief;

those who ride the air like tumbling doves
and fall off; or who hurtle down sheets of ice 
on flimsy trays, with grace
refusing to accept the laws of gravity

or those who spin out of control
their limbs spread out like snow ploughs
pain etched onto their face 
as if they are puzzled by their catastrophe.