{"id":10308,"date":"2024-08-03T11:26:14","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T16:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/faithhopeandfiction.com\/content\/?p=10308"},"modified":"2024-08-03T19:53:11","modified_gmt":"2024-08-04T00:53:11","slug":"champions-all-2-poems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/faithhopeandfiction.com\/content\/champions-all-2-poems\/","title":{"rendered":"Champions, All"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2 Poems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

By Douglas Lanzo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What We, Coach and Brothers, Forged<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By Douglas J. Lanzo<\/strong>
Written for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony of Robert Ford Sr.<\/a>
Former Coach and Footlocker National Coach of the Year<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have run with each of you
in spirit or by your side
over many a road and trail \u2014
doggedly climbing, surging, striding \u2014
through cherished triumphs and travails.

Yet when I look back and ponder
on fields crossed and ground traversed,
the truth that is illumined
comes to me in words and verse:

I see boys who became men
in journeys of mind and soul,
who learned more than how to run
forging ahead despite the toll,
living as men for others
with grit, discipline and heart,
serving God, team and country
by example, from the start,
proudly coaching you to stand
side by side\u2014brothers\u2014stalwart.
<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

A Winner on Two Fronts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By Douglas J. Lanzo
Dedicated to Vasiliy Lomachenko,
International Boxing Federation Lightweight Champion Since May 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commanding respect in the ring
throughout his entire career,
with punishing precision,
instilling opponents with fear;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Olympic golds to his name,
five world titles in three belts,
a nearly unblemished record
that 400 amateurs felt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dubbed \u201cThe Matrix\u201d for his moves
evading punches with ease,
he assesses weaknesses,
then stuns \u2014 causing fighters to freeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A master from every angle,
with the fastest gloves in the world,
pondering a world title bout,
he gazed at Ukraine\u2019s flag unfurled.

Choosing to fight for his country
rather than face men in the ring,
he joined his homeland\u2019s army
battling for Ukraine that spring.

After serving in the army
Lomachenko trained for the fight
to reclaim the IBF title,
summoning all of his might.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many questioned his age,
whether his heart burned with fire,
he answered with dazzling gloves,
forcing Kambosos to retire;
standing beside bloodied fighter,
draped in Ukraine\u2019s flag, to inspire\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Douglas Lanzo<\/strong> is an award-winning American author and poet whose Newbery-nominated, debut novel,\u00a0The Year of the Bear<\/em>, won the 2023 Ames Awards for Young Adult Books, was named a Finalist for the 2023 Hawthorne Prize, and was a 2022 Firebird Award winner. His second book,\u00a0I Have Lived<\/em>, was recently named a double Firebird Award Gold Medal winner in the Novella and Romance\/Suspense categories.\u00a0 Doug\u2019s poetry has been widely published in 67 literary journals and 7 anthologies in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, England, Wales, Austria, Mauritius, India, Japan and Australia. He and his wife, identical twin sons, cat, pufferfish and hermit crabs reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland\u2014and but the pets enjoy nature, fishing, tennis, snorkeling and hiking.\u00a0Visit his website at\u00a0www.douglaslanzo.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2 Poems By Douglas Lanzo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-poetry"],"yoast_head":"\nChampions, All | Faith Hope & Fiction<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/faithhopeandfiction.com\/content\/champions-all-2-poems\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Champions, All | Faith Hope & Fiction\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" 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