This poem would have been way cooler posted on August 18th when it meant more. I drafted it near midnight, and couldn’t bring myself to polish it, find a photo, etc, until today.

Penultimate:
bridesmaid 
celebrated faintly.
Always announcing
never announced. 
John the Baptist to
Jesus the Messiah. 
Loved by writers
For its erudition. 
Why this focus on 
opening act before
The Headliner? Who
decided this needed
a word? Why mark
the race's last mile? 

Today we trot you out
to perform yet again
your ultimate function: 
forty-ninth of fifty, 
thus almost halfway. 
Thank you, you're done. 

---

49/100