If They Would Shut Up They Could Hear The Thump

Poetry

Poetry

When Joe King Roman flopped against

The ropes in In donesia

The boxing fans hissed with pleasure;

George Forman ruled an anxious mob.

Poetry

Just like Joe Louis, promoters

Snarled through tarry lips.  Forman's wet

Muscles sent ripples through the crowd

That carried Roman from the ring.

Poetry

But what made George the king was

Not the hard red tissue that pumped

Beneath a pall of flesh.  It was

The spit of bald men at ringside.

Poetry

At every fight George won they sang

So goes the heavyweight champ, so

Goes boxing.  Somewhere bodies fall

In muted graves that should be pits.

Poetry