The Dusk of the Ambitious

I remember
There was a time when he played the hardest.
I remember
Him working on through the night, as everybody slept.
I remember
His ever-alert eyes, looking for the next chance to prove himself.
I remember
His never-say-die attitude, even after he stumbled.

Day after night, he dreamt of glory,
The greatest victory, the perfect win.
Covering all corners, always hungry for more,
Give him an inch, and he would take the whole mile.
Never gave a damn about criticism,
Made it a point to come back stronger.
Every bout he fought, every round he lost,
Steeled his grit further, hardened his desire.

I remember
The fire that drove him on, even if if it burnt him.
I remember
His desire to win every battle, even if he took more blows.
I remember
The glint in his eyes, and the clarity in his vision.
I remember
His amazing determination, and yet his unparalleled modesty.

A long time has passed, since then,
And yet his passion drives him still, forever more.
His muscles worn out, his hands unsteady,
Yet the same razor focus, and the very same grit.
The aims he had set, he kept raising,
We didn't know his final destination.
Probably, neither did he, but it didn't matter anymore,
When the curtains fall, I'm sure, he'll be smiling.

-Varun