Photo by Lisa Berg ~ Words by Rita Bourland

So much has been said
about this Olympic champion,
this survivor of a difficult childhood,

given up,
placed in foster care,
adopted by grandparents,
discovered in gymnastics,
abused by her doctor,

yet overcoming,
becoming the best in the world,
able to flip, fly, tumble, twist, dance, balance, jump, and land
better than anyone ever has,
ever will, some say,

but wholly human
in the places
the world couldn’t see,
her inner voice, inner trials, inner pain,
became louder, more persistent,
insistent she take a break,

even when the stakes were so high,
on a world stage where mistakes
are analyzed, scrutinized, judged,
taken to the court of public opinion,

even then, she held her ground,
stuck her personal landing,
by being true
to what she knew she could do,
and what she could not,

nothing more should be said
except bravo, dear Simone.