Get your grip, ready
Deep breath to steady the nerves
Slide left foot forward; glide
away, to one side
Low hiss, sharply inhale,
cold air burns the lungs,
steam rises, rolls up in
clouds from sweating skin.

Strike, guard up
again
and again, this time
dart in
while she's blind
Torturous dance - our blows
land lightly, but
it's a trial even to take
one step, one breath
arms hurt to lower, raised
to slowly
to block the last one.