Effort

There's fifteen minutes left in the game,
My muscles are tired, my lungs are strained,
The harder I try, the worse the pain,
"Keep working, your effort is not in vain."

Ten more minutes 'till the game is done,
I've worked so hard that my muscles are numb,
I hustle and push, I continue to strain,
"Keep trying, your effort is not in vain."

Five minutes to go, it's down to the wire,
To say I'm not worried would make me a liar,
My strength starts to give, my courage wanes,
"Keep going, your effort is not in vain."

With just seconds left, I give it my all,
As the buzzer sounds, I throw the ball,
It goes in the hoop; we've won the game,
"I told you your effort would not be in vain."