"uppercut" poems
His fist scarred, beat-red fistful of intention
Rugged, crass unchiseled wonder wrapped in a gentle smile
A bear of a man, broad shouldered hulking bent
Stuffed-fluff heart tattooed with the echo of love
The times he grappled in sweaty- slick tangle of arms and drew blood blooming bright-crisp-apple-red upon white mat.
Beat, Beat, Beat, down
Tap, Tap, Tap, out
White knuckle-grasp uppercut
Full mount, disengage
Joint locked, feet hooked, Triangle hold
Submission.
The times he brought grown men to their knees, and humbled himself on his own
The times he never gave up and the times he gave in
To the fight
To the system
To the sweet draw of relief
The times he fought not for the thrill but to make it by
Rage hot-red facing the injustice of poverty
His steel spine riddled with the rust of life, the rust of reality
The corrosive sludge of hate, and words left unspoken.
Busted well-worn hands held soft smooth skin
Grooved fingers and velvet mouth
The scratch of bearded stubble, red-lined skin prickled with goose flesh, slick coated in sweat
A new fight, wrapped knuckles cushioned with the promise of forgiveness
Of acceptance a force to be reckoned with in her own right.
Broken hand, dreams stunted, depressed-mind-numbing
Lost in his own thought, out of the fight
Desperate to be back in the game mind and body
Envy-red, drawn to the fight of others
Soft smooth hands, short-small-painted nails calm bristled hair
Growling bear, baring teeth in silent-wounded pride
The time she bandaged pride, and encouraged humility
The times she scalded his senses the raw-red liquid fire of love
His shade in the heat of a red-blistered sun
Cooling, and igniting inspiration
The time she became a fight worth winning.
Sep 20, 2012
Sep 20, 2012 at 12:03 PM UTC
Two forces collide
Right
Left
Left Again.
Gloved fists beat into bone and blood
The stone will never move
The ox will make the stone move
Left hook
Right hook
two jabs.
The ox beats the stone
The ox hammers the stone
The ox hurts the stone’s feelings
Uppercut
Right
Right Again
Left.
The stone cracks
The ox breaks its horn
Jab
Jab
Right hook.
The Boxer’s ribs are cracked
The Boxer’s ribs are broken
Left cross
Right cross
Uppercut.
Fist connects to skull
The Boxer’s world is black
Then its white
Now its back to normal
Two jabs
Left
Left Again.
The Boxer’s world is the ring
The world begins at one post and ends at another
Left
Right
Right Again
Left
Left Again.
One eye is swollen shut
The other blinded by blood
Jab
Jab
Left hook
Right cross
Uppercut.
The blood clears away
Now the Boxer’s world is the ceiling
And the lights
Both real and imagined.
The world goes black
Then white.
Oct 8, 2014
Oct 8, 2014 at 3:59 PM UTC
When stress and tension are so high,
That you believe your stomach holds the weight of the sky,
Beat up a black, swinging punching bag
And leave your tensions behind to mangle, dangle and drag
Unleash the power bestowed within,
You may find doing so also unleashes a grin
Wild, almost psychotic, off-the-hook
The kind that makes passers-by turn and look
Hook, uppercut, jab and straight,
Doesn't matter which, leave that to fate
And put the sky back where it belongs
Out of your chest, because it fits wrong
Nov 15, 2015
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:09 AM UTC
Preamble at the showdown the fighters eye to eye
Droning pulse of discourse from the referee is dry,
Bouncing back to my corner the butterflies take charge
For the other guy’s a monster, like a Doberman at large.
Bell resounds alarmingly, I shuffle forth to meet
A combination thrown with steel…it whacks me off my feet.
Seeing stars I resurrect to lurch about the ring
To try to keep some distance from the monster’s punching sting.
Roaring crowd are baying now they call to take me out
The Doberman is grinning for he reckons it’s a route,
The flashing light confusing, the noise a steady din
As the monster comes in quickly to achieve expected win.
Throwing jabs to keep him back, retreating to the rope
I cover up with everything to give myself some hope
He pounds with his salvos they hammer hard and fast
His breathing rasping in my ears I pray to God I last.
Saved by the bell and cold water, such disgrace
The crowd are loudly booing, I’ve not put leather on his face,
A wash of resolution hotly surges from within
So I **** the mouth guard back and rush on out to tackle him.
Defensive expectations had him open up his chin
So I feinted with a left and launched a mighty right with spin,
Boring in with fury and a combination score
I hit him with an uppercut which traversed from the floor.
Miraculously the eyeballs rolled and disappeared from sight
I threw another flurry…but had no one to fight
Flat out on the deck he lay, the Doberman was out
As I bounced around like Rocky to the punters frenzied shout.
Camera flashes blinded as the raving crowd went wild.
It defied all expectations, I was the sacrificial child.
Bets were laid that I would fall within a round or two
The screaming din reflected that all bets were in the poo.
The countdown took forever and I swear I watched each stroke
And kept one eye on the fallen, should he rise he’d go for broke,
My amazement with two wobbly knees and heaving lungs of fire
When my leaden glove was held aloft to victory entire.
Winners come and winners go but this I’ll not forget
When fortune favoured sweetly…and I collected on the bet!
Marshalg
My thanks to Shane Cameron…a real fighter.
14 April 2013 (Pukehana Paradise)
© 2013 Marshal Gebbie
Apr 14, 2013
Apr 14, 2013 at 12:45 AM UTC
I pull up to the stop
Sign and side-blow a little smoke
Out of the window.
Wait for the last burn
Of the cigarette
Then turn to green.
One glance in the mirror
And there’s a young woman
In a Tesla with long brown
Curly hair and bright red lips.
Singing like A Walmart movie star.
**** me now sighs.
We pretend to not play mirror lick.
2 minutes trinkets.
Though I sit up a little straighter
Suddenly self wrongsciouss
And then notice
That my hair is sticking
Up just like a who from whoreville
Ah **** it.
And she lets a smile out on bail
Though I think it’s probably
At the old man waiting to cross
With way too many Christmas bags
of shopping.
And we drive on this endless
Highway of hooks and tumours, one night stands
And one life stands
And pretty moments and heartbreaks and rebounds.
And winning lottery tickets.
And Cuban cigars.
And our hearts call room service
In dive motels.
And then we find someone to laugh with.
and my car is ****
And my hair is going silver
And I hit 40 like an uppercut.
And all of us patch up the cracks
And take the pins out of other peoples voodoo dolls
And dance with what we have.
And do our best to punch above
And throw a trick still.
Like everything was beautiful once
And now even if we fade just into accolades.
We wear a A lucky shirt
A new pair of shoes hung up on the telephone wires
A revenge dress to help undress
The bitterness
A little blue that changes colours
Sometimes
As we drive away
No more a stranger
Than we ever were before.
Nov 18, 2023
Nov 18, 2023 at 8:01 AM UTC
A crystal vision
that fortune tells,
like sparrots in my spirit,
but rather, bought a ticket for God to pay me visit,
I hope he answers
no phones by his thrones,
above outer space
but lives within our inner
with open ears,
that answer prayer
the unseen near ,
I hope my feather glisten,
when I fly and shine,
broken wings holding on to parachutes
that skydive up the winds,
Tell gravity
Im jonesin to climb.
Been distant from home sweet home..
Left eating a Sour patchs,
and packed my bags ( beneath you eyes) ,
Long roads with no sleep,
Extra steps in paps broken shoes
that I got to outfit wearing a travel packed outfit..
All Smiles but sunny days are dead,
Like who worries about the storms ahead,
Seen some with cigarettes for stress
knowing theyll only blacken my breath
Lungs in cemetaries,
Air attached to inhalors not enough for this journey,
perhaps instill Mayweather stamina,
to box out a circle of squares when they box me in,
hardships float on my uppercuts
let God and money band aid my wins.
May 18, 2014
May 18, 2014 at 4:47 AM UTC
Maggie threw a weak left jab at the upper torso of Jacob to throw him off balance and swung hard with her right arm towards his exposed left cheek, connecting her small fists on his flesh with such impact that it immediately began to swell up. He retaliated with a well placed right hook to the side of Maggie's arm that sent her moving sideways before she regained her footing and answered back with a succession of jabs to his midsection.
Sweat poured down both of their faces mixing with the blood from cuts and bruises that both had received in one of the earlier bouts. They were now in the sixth round and neither showed any determination in losing.
Jacob brought his right leg up for a straight kick towards Maggie's stomach but she caught his leg and rotated it clockwise knocking him off balance and falling chest first to the mat. Maggie attempted to a heel lock but could not gain enough leverage to lock it in and Jacob slipped out of her grip and got back to his feet and shook it off. Maggie snarled thru her mouth guard and spun around with a roundhouse, catching her foot just short of hard enough on his left calf, sending numbness up and down his leg. She went in for a double leg takedown but was caught off guard when Jacob raised his right knee and connected it with the left temple on her head. Her vision began to go hazy and she swung wildly with a left and then a right before she was able to shake the cobwebs clear and see him throwing a straight, hard, and fast right squarely at her face.
She ducked less than an inch before his fist would've met the bridge of her nose and she came up with her fists balled tightly in an uppercut and landed on the bottom of his jaw sending him reeling backwards and losing his balance he fell on the ground. Maggie rushed over and got on top of him in guard position and began raining down lefts and rights to his face which he was blocking. She threw a few shots at his side causing him to arch into a kidney shape and bring his arms away from his face. Maggie grabbed his left arm and went for a Fuji armbar and locked it in tightly, feeling the joint of his elbow bending sharply on her pelvic bone. She arched her back harder, tightened her thighs around his arm and twisted the upper portion of his wrist to the left until she felt the familiar feeling of a tap out on her legs. She released the grip and stood up, ****** bruised, sweaty, but not beaten.
Nov 25, 2013
Nov 25, 2013 at 12:28 PM UTC
Cassie Lane Gray, ever so slight of frame
Hit harder than a train, playing her martial games
Cassie ran eight miles a day, and she never strayed
Her routine was tough as iron, her boxing gloves were frayed
Her momma put her in ballet, but later on, she disobeyed
Strapping wraps to wrists, uppercut finisher each day
And when she said she wanted to box, her momma turned away
But she was gonna fight, with no one in her way
Cassie Lane Gray grew up poor in San Jose
Never had much to say, just wanted in the fray
Her ballet, in a way, made her opponents pay
As she moved with dancer's sway, they later would convey
Cassie's family prayed that she would portray
The sweet and simpering visage of a classy dame
But it wasn't in the cards, for Cassie Lane Gray
The "Bantam Weight Ballerina"
A strong young fighting woman
Was in the ring to stay
Mar 16, 2020
Mar 16, 2020 at 9:36 AM UTC
In the red corner - me
in the blue corner - life
this isn't a fair fight
there was no sparring or training
I had to come out swinging right from the bell
absorbing every jab that life throws
just waiting for the knockout punch
still dancing and going toe to toe
throwing haymakers left and right
I try to keep my guard up
hoping somehow to win by decision
side-stepping punches
ducking and weaving
uppercut uppercut uppercut
I dropped my guard, and there goes my mouthpiece
ding!
saved by the bell
I still have a few rounds to go...
Dec 12, 2014
Dec 12, 2014 at 2:01 PM UTC
(Dedicated to Eric Onyebuchi Jibero)
What an excruciating blow
You have dealt me!
A brute's uppercut offloaded
A smashing hit delivered
Like a monstrous boxer
Desirous of fame
With an amateur to tame
At this one bout too many
Wherein you have hit me below
The belt as a sadist deriving joy
From my anguish
And relish
From my enormous loss
Oh mower,
Nay hewer,
Can't you feel anything?
Can't you see?
Can't you reason for a while
With your prey?
Can't you pause to ponder
Just for a brief moment
So you can take a good decision
Choosing the right tree to fell
Instead of bringing down a mere
Sapling with your obedient saw?
Why deal sweeping blow
On a mere rookie?
Can't you distinguish
Between the ripe and the unripe?
Between the hen and the chick?
But hawks like you can pick
Meat amidst bones as Moses
In a basket amidst bulrushes
Of Nile to spare from Pharaoh's
Infant-eating sword
And in wisdom did you wait
Patiently to visit Methuselah
At the zenith of hoary hair
Master of double standards
Eyes gorged
Conscience seared
Heart cold like frozen chicken
******* dry and drooping
Like a hag's
A ruthless scorpion
That stings even babes
Rampaging ravager
Notorious brigand
Marauding machinery
Eliminating without scruple
Whoever you choose
Whose hireling are you?
God's or Satan's
Or both?
A blank cheque you flaunt
To cash as you wish
But can't you condescend to a negotiating
Table when a mere sapling is marked
For a cutting down?
Being a professional boxer
Long in this senseless trade
You should have seen the heap
Of pain you would leave
In my heart by this cruel blow
Against a budding amateur whom
You have served voracious earth
Whose stomach is a leaking tank.
Nov 2, 2010
Nov 2, 2010 at 5:22 AM UTC
Hey its me again
I just need to vent
Its time my mind got right
So I can breath again
But things begin
To take a toll
And sometimes you can feel so small
That it crushes you
Punches you in the gut
Followed with a uppercut
Like what the ****
Can I get a break?
Can I get some time to recuperate?
I guess this is life
These ups and downs
The smiles and frowns
Jul 12, 2023
Jul 12, 2023 at 1:08 AM UTC
being insulted by someone
of a trans-
status quo
classification
will never be enough
to mind, had i the pairing
to a higher tier of socialite endeavour -
to be debased with a fragrance of
a misuse of language
on a level of comprehension will
always place me steadied with placards
of 'hello, my name is Samauel'
well hello Samuel..
boiled herrings pan-fried readied for
a star wars sequel akin to rocky 7,
boxing-catchup K.O. no.31 -
an here the champ gives way to a chimpanzees'
worth of gurgled laughter -
readied speed at a Bronson's uppercut -
and we're too the readied ones
annex to the molars that might be considered
the chewing apparatus should
we not have juiced with bites as if a load's
worth of hammering was taken place:
chewing as if hammering, imagine
the cranium gush extract - it would be
like porridge if reverse due to diarrhoea!
flaky shit-bits and anaconda's suntan to measure up to;
well, there was the leather chair to mind
in terms of approving leisure activity as coercing
a carefree fortitude of futuristic investment -
mind you the loss of the Celtic vocabulary,
I.R.A. and the instigation of Anglo-Saxon
vocabulary to suppress the populace
of renegade Catholics or the twin Belfast known
as Glasgow - indeed Edinburgh remained
as much conservative as St. Andrew's would allow,
an extension of England, even with parliament
it was a Basildon of northern Essex...
scots among the multitude of accents usurped from
pole-dancing with kilts! Tartan su doku!
Apr 26, 2016
Apr 26, 2016 at 8:46 PM UTC
parallel sympathy endeavor
peaceful and untroubled
achieve ballerina twists
comforting serenity
pull a fast one on
elixir sip sucker stiff
tiny hornswoggle mulct
grandfather clock rich rock
chimney chalk ziggy pop
sirius kid dolls cudi feet tall
artists whirl revolution vet
wolf convincing sheep curve
non believers starting flames
horrid instant ways even livid
fears queen fairy dust spiral
wick gladness warlock king
abide nostrum wake flesh
archangel passion feans
world web crack addicts
mankind teach nine
nail soundness round
raiden uppercut fortify illegitimate
swine heedless being being beaten
headless ***** eyes hub pivot
nerve endings eager enthusiasm hitch
pitch outermost central swain free gist
intrigue archbishop market black illicit
red hot chili peppers implicate explicit
inundating problematic seniority cast
systems hook boom haze tomb prune
embrace bravehearts impale in arms
side by side shield elastic coats grace
Aug 25, 2016
Aug 25, 2016 at 8:19 PM UTC
It hits in waves.
To begin,
it throws a right jab
(the lack of energy
with a hefty dose of insomnia.)
Next,
it follows up with a nasty left hook
(the irritability)
(the self-doubt)
(the mood swings)
(the paranoia.)
And finally,
it finishes you
a mean right uppercut
with those bone-crushing
cataclysmic
abysmal
angry
angsty
blues.
Gripped by a dark world,
NO hope
NO light
and most painfully
NO LOVE.
Regardless of how hard
you search
you know
it can only be taught to you again
because you don't recognize it anymore
it is a blank spot now.
You knew you would have to pay the price
to experience such a sensation
and you'd heard of the stories of how it
changed people
but you still craved that excitement
of the unknown
the forbidden fruit
and you had your taste
but it consumed you too
until now,
you're fighting the beast
that threatens to
overthrow the true you.
This is a fight you must not lose.
Feb 14, 2013
Feb 14, 2013 at 5:12 AM UTC
as i watched you drown i remember the sound
of your muffled cries, but you had to taste the lies
you had spun thousands of webs,
i could no longer hold creditability
for the words that flew around my head
you had hit me with an uppercut to the jaw
for the flaws you had made a point to highlight
didn't exist to anyone else other than yourself
so put your insecurities to rest
and inhale this water into your lungs
let them over flow & burst
yes darling, death does hurt
but when were all living to die
its understandable why you'd want to give up trying
let my lullaby swoon satan,
i would even dance with him, for you
as i watched you drown i remember the sound
of your mom pounding on the door
such a shame you refused to explore life longer
pray god wont be upset with me,
for every second your head was held underneath the water,
by my hand
i felt stronger
Nov 28, 2014
Nov 28, 2014 at 5:48 PM UTC
I’m called Madam Budget Cut, hard-edged Ms. Bludgeon ****
Slashing each piece of the pie.
But still I the budget gut, both guns and butter cut,
Balance the budget or die!
I’ve a tax for tobacco, and (pols think I’m whacko),
I’m slashing their projects with knives.
No ribbons for cutting, no grants for abutting
Old properties owned by their wives.
I’ve cross-the-board fixes, I’ve “no ways” and “nixes”,
I’ve silly assumptions and worse.
I consolidate functions, ignore court injunctions
Protecting the power of the purse.
I’ve early-out options, I propose late adoptions
Of programs designed by the Feds.
I close institutions, slow down restitutions,
And limit the number of beds.
I fire those who sign up
The thousands who line up
For Medicaid, welfare and such.
I’ve April surprises, with merit pay prizes
For staff who don’t argue too much.
So go with my uppercut,
Knock out the sludge, and gut,
Budgets should never be shy.
So we’ll cut, snip and suture,
Then look toward the future,
And pray that the patient won’t die!
Mar 5, 2017
Mar 5, 2017 at 6:06 PM UTC
Bright red hickey
branding your neck
I can’t help but stare
Fighting back the tears
I almost ******* hate you
I want to flip the table
scream
but I sit in silence
The sight of it guts me
uppercut to chest
with the sharpest knife
Each word
spilling out
your mouth
disgusting
like maggots
one by one
cuts me deeper
The thought of her
infected lips
kissing you
makes me want to *****
Im not even supposed to care
you make it look so easy
Just let me hate you
because I know I won’t
Feb 13, 2012
Feb 13, 2012 at 2:24 PM UTC
Darker than six combined winter mid nights
The uneducated minds
For they know not when and how to use their knowledge
Knowledge without character
Is tea without sugar
The superior complex do
As the inferior complex do other wise
Life has the wise and the other wise
Those that stand things before understanding
Undemocratic knowledge
Retaliate democratic knowledge
Global democrats
Are likened to a boxing ring
‘Jab, hook and uppercut!’
Opponents hit each other hard
And destroy not each other.
Gracious, after a tough contestant
Embrace each other with unity of purpose
It’s indeed a game and gambling of knowledge
Confidence building knowledge
Vision-less vision knowledge
Knowledge engulfed by the hocus-pocus
Vampire of' ‘Anointed' knowledge
Illogical malicious transmitters of words
Utter knowledge with utter amazement
Indeed,
Knowledge is power
Power to do evil...or power to do good.
No thief, however skilful, can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge is the best and safest treasure to acquire
L. Frank Baum accurately observed
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not illiteracy ,
It's how we illusion knowledge
Apr 27, 2019
Apr 27, 2019 at 7:13 PM UTC
We've long stopped fighting with our words
Now we use fist
Here take this...
An uppercut to your ribs
I can feel your bones shattering against my bare knuckles
It hurts doesn't it
That's how it feels when you tell fibs
And lies
But you won't quit
In mid speech
You jab me in the bridge of my nose
Right between the eyes
We go blow for blow
To stubborn to stop
And your swings don't slow
I don't want to hurt you
But you never hold back
Yelling and screaming
Sinking you nails into my back
But I always retaliate
Slamming my forearm into your gut
You drop to you knees
Struggling to breath
Now you know how it feels
To struggle with trust
Oct 23, 2016
Oct 23, 2016 at 4:50 PM UTC
It’s always a battle with you
I try to stand up, and you’re always there to kick me down again
You beat me down and I just lie there and take it
A right swing to my body image, an uppercut to my confidence
I’m never allowed to be happy
And God forbid I feel beautiful for once
You make me out to be this obnoxious person that nobody can stand
But I don’t see you with any friends, and no one’s coming to your defense
You tell me that I annoy all my friends and they’ll all betray me
Yet you never fail to be first in line for taking a swing at me
Always whispering in my ear and telling me that nobody has ever really liked me
But you have always been the first to bash me for being who I am
Maybe I’m really not all that bad
Maybe I’m really ******* fantastic
And maybe you’re just scared that I’ll figure it out and you’ll be forgotten
Because you’re nothing but an irrelevant voice constantly fighting to keep itself heard
You are the voice of my anxiety
You exist because I do
And without me, you are nothing
But without you, I can be happy
I am all you have
I give your voice life and I give it meaning
You are nothing but what I allow you to be
You say I’m nothing, but you are nothing without me
Jun 8, 2019
Jun 8, 2019 at 3:45 PM UTC
Grappling bones,
hollow insecurities,
broken,
healed.
A fist to the face,
an uppercut,
terrible colours onto
the barren white walls.
Red-faced,
shut-eyed,
running with
arms wide open.
"Bring it on!"
Lungs afire.
We always stand up.
Again
Dec 24, 2013
Dec 24, 2013 at 7:50 AM UTC
Headbutt a field of daffodils.
Uppercut a pair of shears.
Fall asleep on railroad tracks.
Throw a wrench into your gears.
Kick a chainsaw in the teeth.
Do a backflip into quicksand.
Take a bath in sleet.
Eat your own hand.
Sleep in a bed of cement.
Bash your head on concrete.
Throw yourself into a volcano.
Cook your own meat.
Swim in a tsunami.
Surf a typhoon.
Drown yourself in madness,
but please just do it soon.
Oct 8, 2016
Oct 8, 2016 at 4:10 AM UTC
Told you that what you did wasn't your best
Johnny told me you'd been workin out
Lifting the weights and whatnot
Well let's see what ya got
Throw me the good ol one-two
Maybe an uppercut or a side jab for the few
Give good ol Tyson a good bruise
When do you know if Ali almighty is ready to fight
Hit em with that side jab and
Give em' what you got......
Punch my mitts
Throw me a fit!
Hurl your mighty throws at me and
GIVE ME ALL YOU GOT!!
YOUR GONNA EAT THUNDER
AND CRAP LIGHTNING YOU WILL
WILL YOU GIVE THOSE GUYS ALL YA GOT?!
HIT EM'
HIT EM RIGHT THERE IN THE GOLD SPOT!
DONT GIVE UP!
Johnny the gat ain't get you got
Hit em' with the upper cut
And hit them with the greatest of your rot!
As I said before,,,
One-two one-two swat swat!
GIVE ME ALL THAT YA GOT!!!
Nov 3, 2015
Nov 3, 2015 at 11:40 AM UTC