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This poem and others are available in my book, Nothing Works: Meditations on Aikido, Buddhism, the Tao, Zen, and other inconsequential things.... Available thru Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites....Sorry for the plug, but I gottta fund my retirement... Try this link: www.nothing-works.com
Your life is your dojo
Aikido beyond the mat
Where imbalance is rampant
Struggle and frustration
A way of life
Love and harmony
A constant effort
To strive for and achieve
But, if you can see it
Aikido is everywhere
Opportunities to blend
And flow and connect
A whole life
Of walls and barriers
To overcome or fall short
Falling down is not defeat
Take ukemi
And get back up
Falling down is natural
Not getting back up
Is defeat
Grunting, groaning,
Sweating, complaining
Too much inner chatter!
Ah, it's too hot, too cold
My knees hurt
My feet are cramping
What, suwari waza, again!
Fuck, that nikkyo really hurt!
Damn, that break-fall nearly killed me!
Where's my breath?
What happened to flowing and effortless?
My ass…
What am I doing here?
Why won't he fall?
Why am I so tired?
How's my hair?
When will it end?
Second wind…
At some point it happens
Always forget when
Body humming, movement easier
Joyous discomfort
Gi and body, a sweaty union
Mindless delight
I sit in seiza
Complete in no-thought
Form follows function, they say
This applies in architecture
And many other disciplines
Including aikido, I think
In aikido, especially
The difficulty lies in
Creating a simplicity
Balanced by elegance
That permits nage and uke
To flow into form and function
As need and situation arises
Blending the elegantly difficult
Into a creative discipline
Of form, function, and art
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
10-21-2012 03:06 PM 
