fight day

after having cut off
everyone s/he loved or
having them made that decision
for him/her,
s/he was alone in
training for months,
with a minimal diet
reducing
reducing
reducing,
with the workouts from twice a
day to a full time, 24/7,
mental & physical
pure dedication,
where all that mattered
was the
fight---
s/he visited the chiropractor,
s/he wore the suit to sweat beneath
the sweatpants,
in the sauna &
in the run,
with every hill becoming higher as
the trainers, the assistants, the
physicians agreed,
they must become steeper,
for s/he must push him/herself to the
furthest point of human exertion,
must lose every pound that s/he can
to cut him/herself up to the proper
weight class &
the vision became blurry in those last
hours,
with more people around him who have
suffered extreme loss in the ring,
who have bet it all for what others
who have never had an ounce of ambition in
their lives
might look upon them to say
they did it all for
absolutely nothing,
but s/he knows more &
after stripping down to the skivvies &
stepping on the scale,
what has been attained is a
physical perfection,
a human body molded for
implementing destruction,
for bashing a thousand blasts of
energy
into the face of the opponent,
all for the sake of the
fight, all for the sake of a goal
to be attained
by any means necessary---
and loved ones who might get a
few minutes on the phone with
her/him,
treat the fighter with
kiddy gloves,
because they understand more than
anyone who will be watching,
just what dedication really is &
they will forever be inspired by
this person that they have been
so lucky, so fortunate
to know---
s/he rehydrates, s/he pounds the
health calories, s/he gets rest,
s/he spends time laughing with
those around her/him
who have dedicated their lives as
well to
one amazing
focus---
counting down the minutes,
the seconds,
before
fight
day.