Blog #6

The first poem I found was about boxing: He steps into the ring...for his very last fight

His whole life he has trained, for this one special night

He approaches his opponent, in the centre of the ring
The Referee gives the instructions; it's the same old thing

He steps back to his corner, and waits for the bell
For he knows he'll have to fight, like a bat out of hell

The fight rages on, and he's made it to the last round
It goes to the judges; so he waits while his head pounds

A decision has been reached, and the crowd quiets down
The decision is read, he has won the heavyweight crown

The second poem is about football:I take the snap from the center, fake to the right, fade back...

I've got protection. I've got a receiver open downfield...

What the hell is this? This isn't a football, it's a shoe, a man's

brown leather oxford. A cousin to a football maybe, the same

skin, but not the same, a thing made for the earth, not the air.

I realize that this is a world where anything is possible and I

understand, also, that one often has to make do with what one

has. I have eaten pancakes, for instance, with that clear corn

syrup on them because there was no maple syrup and they

weren't very good. Well, anyway, this is different. (My man

downfield is waving his arms.) One has certain responsibilities,

one has to make choices. This isn't right and I'm not going

to throw it.

The third and last poem I found was about winning: If you want a thing bad enough 

To go out and fight for it, 
Work day and night for it, 
Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it

If only desire of it 
Makes you quite mad enough 
Never to tire of it, 
Makes you hold all other things tawdry 
and cheap for it

If life seems all empty and useless without it 
And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

If gladly you'll sweat for it, 
Fret for it, Plan for it, 
Lose all your terror of God or man for it,

If you'll simply go after that thing that you want. 
With all your capacity, 
Strength and sagacity, 
Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,

If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt, 
Nor sickness nor pain 
Of body or brain 
Can turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it, 
You'll get it!

Those are the three poems I found that relate to my blog.