It is a good thing success
for by it can be judged
talent, ability, quality
and all that deserved

It is a good thing success
for they were the ones not subject to contingency
not gainful of the deal of the hand
the place in line
the rules of the day
the circumstances now passed
of but two more seconds, or days, or years

It is a good thing success
for needs be the right sides
so can be joined with the ones
and can be made jeers at the others

It is a good thing success
for by it can be judged the
second best
the almost was
the failures

Yet that pesky alternative universe
where the contingencies that fell to A
now fall to B
and now is all the other way round

But the stakes be in this universe
for what contingency wrought