24 Aug Power Punch

Standing still. 
Standing ovation.
Scars haven’t healed. 
Fate has yet to be sealed. 
Still pouring 
salt in wounds. 
Blood trickles down, 
a little too soon.

Inspiration. 
Competing with the monster. 
Stagnation, creates an incredible grief. 
Because all work and no play 
makes the creativity fade away.

If only for a brief time,⁣⁣
It returns swiftly,⁣⁣
Inspiration and Stagnation
Stand in the ring. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Gloves fastened. ⁣⁣
Corner to corner. ⁣⁣
Tap, tap. ⁣⁣
Squirt of water. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Off goes the 
Steel Trip Gong. ⁣⁣
Ding!⁣⁣
Ding!⁣⁣
Ding!⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Power shots. ⁣⁣
Right jab,⁣⁣
Left jab,⁣⁣
Upper cut.

Retracing steps ⁣⁣
to dance at a pace ⁣⁣
that refill released breaths ⁣⁣
from lungs. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
One-two step,⁣⁣
Tap dancing with toes ⁣⁣
At a glance, ⁣⁣
Lifting the thigh high. ⁣⁣
Bracing for combat.

Stagnation inches ⁣
Their way forward,⁣
Still starry-eyed,⁣
One black eye, ⁣
Swollen cheek.⁣
Cauliflower ear. ⁣
⁣
Inspiration is no longer⁣
stricken with fear. ⁣
Resuming stance.⁣
Adrenaline kicking in ⁣
and Stagnation ⁣
takes their right glove ⁣
across the face of Inspiration.⁣
⁣
A blow to the temple. ⁣
The punch lands hard,⁣
But it’s not enough ⁣
to knock ‘em out.

Left glove ⁣
blocked by a forearm,⁣
Counter punch, ⁣
Rib shot. ⁣
⁣
Throwing punches back. ⁣
A jab to the gut!⁣
Shin kick!⁣
Ribcage!⁣
⁣
CRACK!

And the blows 
take their 
breath away. 
Stagnation falls 
flat to the mat.

The Ref races 
to Stagnation’s side. 
Counting back 
from ten,
Slamming his hand 
Hard on the mat
to make sure 
he’s heard.

Head back, 
Fetal position. 
Cringing pain.
The audience 
holds their breath. 
Hearts leapt to chests. 
Edge of their seat,
For what happens next.

9!
8!
7!

Was this it? 
Was the goal met? 
Did Inspiration beat 
the living shit 
out of Stagnation?

6!
5!
4!

And fucking, bloody hell, 
Trouble hits the 
west of the floor.

Stagnation lifts ⁣
their head, ⁣
Back in the ring,⁣
They won’t be ⁣
knocked out yet. ⁣
⁣
Stagnation ⁣
gets back up ⁣
Before the Ref ⁣
calls the next set.