"A Sportman's Prayer"

Let me live, O mighty Master,
Such a life as mine should know,
Testing Triumph and disaster,
Joy~ and not too much of woe;
Let me run the gamut over,
Let me fight and love and laugh
And when I'm beneath the clover
Let this be my epitaph:
"Here lies one who took his chances
in the busy world of men,
Battled luck and circumstances,
Fought and fell and fought again;
Won sometimes ~ but did no crowing,
Lost sometimes~ but did not wail,
Took his beating~ but kept going,
Never let his courage fail.
He was fallible and human,
Therefore loved and understood,
both his fellow men and women,
Whether good or ~ not so good;
Kept his spirit undiminished,
Never laid down on a friend,
Played the game til it was finished,
Lived a sportsman to the end.