Jim had ran in many races before
They never once occurred to him as a chore
He was strong and fierce like a hardened ox
And he was never sick with a cold or pox.

He trained every day without a single pause
His wife was there to support his every cause
And his smile always stretched from ear to ear
And he never once succumbed to darkness and fear.

But his passion for music had touched his collar
And he wanted more than just fame and another dollar
So he stopped the running from himself and sat in his chair
And forgot the track he once loved and cared.

He stayed in his room every day for a week
And every so often, his wife would peek
In the door crack just to see
What creature should behold thee.

The cans of alphabet soup that stacked upon the floor
Were made into towers that leveled even the door
And she saw the mess he made in his musical craze
"I pray that this is just a foolish Autumn craze."

He finally came out after a month or so
The wailing of sound had turned down low
So he came out to see what the world had come to
When his wife suddenly screeched out, "WHO ARE YOU?!"
He said, "It's me, Dory. I'm sorry if you were scared,
But did you really think it was some stranger impaired?"
She cried, "Look at your eyes. Look at your face,
YOUR YOUTH HAS LEFT YOUR BODY WITHOUT LEAVING A SINGLE TRACE!"

He scowled and shook from the drafty Autumn wind
The veins on his body were apparent on the skin
He tumbled down the stairs and the race had ended there
And the alphabet soup had run out with nothing left to share.