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This poem and others are available in my books, Nothing Works: Meditations on Aikido, Buddhism, the Tao, Zen, and other inconsequential things....and, Nothing Special, and Nothing Matters..., available thru Amazon.com, in print and Kindle editions and Barnes & Noble websites.....Also available as an e-book via Smashwords.com. Try this link: www.nothing-works.com for the full array of options.
I stand there
Facing the kamiza
And the seated judges
Respectful and silent
Sweat cooling
Everyone else
Sitting in rows
Sitting in seiza
A sea of white gis
With an occasional
Dark hakama
The dojo finally quiet
After intense moments
Of effort and action
Nage and uke -- many ukes
Flowing in harmony (?)
With sweat and breath
We would like you
to retest, they say
Dreaded words
What they don't say:
AKA: You failed!
You did not pass
The test!
I absorb this news
(Shit, damn,
this sucks!)
And the critique
That follows
Breathing, calming
My mind and body
And emotions
I bow in acknowledgement
Returning to seiza
08-19-2012 02:44 PM 
