The poem 'The Winner' is written by the poet Georgia Heard.
The children gather in the neighbour's field next to a creek to play ball every evening.
The children run so fast across the grassy field that they quickly run out of breath.
The poet arranges words in single vertical lines to vividly show how breathless the speaker feels.
The phrase 'blue dark turns to black' describes the sky changing from late dusk to night.
The cold grass makes the bare feet of the children ache as the evening temperature drops.
The trees appear to creep closer because the growing darkness reduces visibility across the field.
The outdoor games come to an end because the night becomes too dark for playing.
Night is declared the winner because its arrival successfully forces the children to stop their game.
Personification is a poetic device in which inanimate things are described as having human qualities.
A creek mentioned in the poem is a small natural body of moving water.
Kicking a black and white ball into a goal describes the outdoor sport of football.
Chanting continuously while trying to touch opponents is an essential part of playing kabaddi.
Physical activities like swimming and yogic breathing exercises help keep the body healthy and fit.
Indigenous games, such as kho-kho, are traditional sports that are native to a specific region.