Vehicle: Violence
The way boxers postulate a feeling to label that with which they overcome
……….. the body’s vile fears,
its wish to flinch, to flee, break and run . . . call it anger, pride,
……….. the primal passion to prevail;
the way, before they start, they glare at one another, try to turn themselves
……….. to snarling beasts . . .
so we first make up something in the soul we name and offer credence
……….. to—“meaning,” “purpose,” “end” —
and then we cast ourselves into the conflict, turn upon our soul, snarl
……….. like snarling beasts . . .
And the way the fighters fight, cooly until strength fails, then desperately,
……….. wildly, as in a dream,
and the way, done, they fall into one another’s arms, almost sobbing with
……….. relief, sobbing with relief:
so we contend, so we wish to finish, wish to cry and end, but we never
cry, never end, as in a dream.
by C.K. Williams
from C.K. Williams Selected Poems
Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1994