Crabby Dash

On a beach where sunbeams play,
Tiny warriors line the bay.
Shells of crimson, green, and blue,
Claws held high, a fearsome crew.

Children huddle, laughter rings,
Numbers painted on small, shelled things.
In the center, a circle wide,
The race begins with rising tide.

A hush descends, then with a shout,
The scuttling army surges out.
Big and brawny take the lead,
While clever ones plan a sneaky deed.

Eyes on stalks like periscopes,
Searching for their sandy hopes.
Zigging, zagging 'cross the ground,
Each step makes a tiny sound.

One crab falters, one takes flight,
Another hides in fading light.
The leader stumbles, almost through,
Then a tiny pinch, a breakthrough new!

From last to first, a surge so grand,
The smallest triumphs on the sand.
Cheers erupt, the race is done,
It wasn't strength, but smarts that won.

LINE COUNT: 24 Lines
WRITTEN FOR: "WINNER and NEW PROMPT, due 17-Feb-2024!"  
PROMPT: Tomorrow, February 17, is Champion Crab Races Day! Write a story or poem about a crab race.