Vicariously competitive

It is stressful to participate in contests

Where under pressure you have to give it your best

Not all of us can stomach being that competitive

Therefore sometimes vicariously we try to live

Watching games and contests of various kinds

Rooting for the teams and contestants, we find

Our stress levels rising in nervous anticipation

We may bite out nails, close our eyes momentarily in trepidation

We jump out of our seats at a win and rejoice

Or utter sighs or even expletives of our choice

When those we are cheering for lose, especially in a nail-biting contest

We feel the heat of competition without going through the test…

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Each time I watch a game on the television (or live)

I cannot help but admire the ambition and drive

Of those who are competing, they must be made of sterner stuff

To repeatedly subject oneself to such pressure seems quite tough

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I’d rather stay away from competition than face

The stress of being pitted against someone face to face

Therefore I am just a spectator who can easily proclaim

May the best player or team win the game!