POEM: "Punchy Penado"

Punchy Penado
                   
                   for Greg Gamage

1.

Don’t enjoy
it much either
women boxing
better to fight
the house-dust
the closed window
the 1000 night jabs
below the belt
a faraway sound
a train is coming
the roundhouse
hard as a rail


2.

Cannibals
running out of
people to eat
and next week
in the flying square
I’m wrestling
an oily swan
we are free
in a world very
much curtailed
and just a little
out of shape


3.

Curiosity
strangles a cat
it comes back
end of the fifth
what was love
within without
a strangeness
stones shape
the will holds
it’s not hatred
for kindness
no reward


4.

Evolution
gloves get bigger
ring gets smaller
front row seat
in the Amazon
fishes swim
up your orifice
looking for your
last night’s dream
brain injury
still off
still here


5.

The new face is
hanging sausage
& cheese off me
step into the ring
the crowd cheers
authentic food
no more bland
so I bleed a lot
no more dieting
free autographs
a few broken ribs
they love me


6.

Is this body
a little temple
do all the gods
look over the sea
slammed hard by you
a kick to the head
the ref is counting
the steps to the beach
I take off my robe
run into the waves
slammed hard by me
my job I guess


7.

This earth
and its ancestors
the hall is filling
with the years
it took to build
no tanks
to this bout
easy breezy
take ‘em all down
they don’t leave
their corner
you’re the winner


8.

Going out
on a limb for you
a matter of
perspective
downclimbing
more dangerous
than upclimbing
mix the colours
make a fist
mix a halo
get it over with
anyway I can


9.

Ever feel like
they squandered
your education
he sees sprayed
on the wall that
he’s pissed on
it’s a still night
two cats emerge
follow him home
he gets them on
his wavelength
and they glide away


10.

Raining hard
rooftop nighttime
he always says
he sleeps better
but actually
bathed in sweat
with a gashed brow
wants to do him harm
in search of meadows
with wild flowers
downpour of noise
this storm is fixed


11.

On again
apocalyptic
getting ready
he is gym rat no. 1
horror leaves the skin
music just arrives
silk sheets and a cat
non-mechanical
drills & weights
sauna room boom
the day after tomorrow
how goes the will


12.

The last round
is too montonous
need to get happy
how you move
O you can fly
check it out
encyclopedia
to another life
does it belong
the ancient injury
the heart is open wide
the people stand and cheer


© 2015 Rob Schackne