Special Olympics, Brockport, 1979

by William Heyen

At the track, I served as hugger.
My job — to congratulate the runners, finishers
or not, winners or winners,
even those who from far their lanes did wander,

not lost, but among easels of flowers, gleeful,
for the summer days seemed to call them elsewhere,
& their feet, crutches, & wheelchairs
took them there with cheers for all that is hopeful.