9 8 25 the old gladiator
The
grizzled
old kick
boxer
bounces
into the
ring
well aware
of the tender
nature of his
swollen right
ankle
and there is
an internal
twang
gyrating up
his left leg
from the horrendous
rips in his untreated
meniscus
but he is here
to do battle
with a young
buck karate
instructor
and his old
redneck fans
are already
drunk bellowing
his praise
while shoveling
hot dogs and
popcorn into
chinless gullets
and the kids
are indifferent
to the old fart
but are here
to support
their sensi
while one old
fan watches
the match on
cable TV
in a corner
of his small loft
sitting on
his old broken
cherry red
leather couch
obsessively
munching packets
of South Korean
seaweed and rice
krispy snacks
sipping a can
of Canadian
waiting with
tepid impatience
to see how the
old gladiator fairs
occasionally getting
up in his torn boxers
to shadow box
imaginary opponents
while trying not
to hit his head
on the low ceiling
or trip over the
coffee table.
