Fighter

Failure

A dish served in the darkness garnished with a smirk

The ring is set

Sweat glistens, a heart rapidly beating

Fists clenched, jaws tight

The opponent takes shape.

Eyes full of self-contempt

Muscles spasm to the rhythm of self-judgment

Movements fueled with self-doubt

A whisper, bated breaths

Each one an exchange of someone else’s opinion

The opponent stares back at the fighter

Without warning, lashes out

The fighter,

Oh how he falls

Silence

There is nothing more deafening

than the roar of silent denial

He tastes red in the tang of anger

The voices drown

Each one a label on his wounds

Through the blinding pain of self-loathing

The fighter lifts himself up

Recovery is slow

Realization a blur of broken connections

He enunciates 

“It’ll take more than that to keep me down”

Broken bones heal

Broken hearts mend

But broken spirits

Broken spirits do nothing but drift  

Failure

Clear as day now

The opponent who looks so much like himself

The opponent is nothing but a parasite to his own thoughts

The holder of his secrets and weaknesses

The gatekeeper of his insecurities

Life itself is hinged on one word

One choice

Fighter