He sits in a sheltered alcove

surrounded by rock behind and

rock to the left and right

taking in the sun and quiet

a break from the stress of competition

for attention, for food, for the future

Young he seems, though of good size

he might compete, perhaps he will

but he is young, not yet of stout psychology

or raging hormones demanding release

perhaps overwhelmed by the magnitude

and consequence of it all

He knows the process, if not the costs

perhaps he just needs to process

to decide his chances and play the game

that others expect of him, fitting in

rather than striking his own path

perhaps he will chose not to compete,

this year...

Perhaps he just needs to consider

calculate the odds, defer desires

for a more likely chance in the future

Or maybe, he just wants a quiet

retreat to gather his resources

before joining the trials