under cover of darkness
the tiger stands still
knowing
she hasn't been seen

but i feel her presence
loud and clear
like i'm seeing
an actual ghost

my first advance
wounds her left foreleg
as she claws me
with her right

the struggle ensues
as we both land
a series of
hefty blows

we catch our breath in
each other's eyes
and see the battle
commence and end

and knowing ourselves
we nod or heads
understanding
we both will win

we go our separate
ways for now
both knowing
we'll meet again