The Mat

A poem inspired by my time on the wrestling team at Annapolis High School in Dearborn Heights, MI

I sit surrounded by pain and my brothers in arms

I sit drenched in my own sweat and blood, plus that of others

We have been brethren for three years, since I first stepped up

We have cried with each other, laughed with each other

These men are my equals, these men are my brothers

Miles of skill may separate us all

But we are all there when one or the other takes a fall

We have fought back from the bottom, kept our spot at the top

Now it is all in its end, and our sacrifice forgot

But not by us, by those that come after

‘Till the day of our death will think of these days

More than often the low times instead of the high times

We have had each others back, the next day been at each others throats

But the bond that has been built will last through the years

We will remember the times when we lost those tough bouts

We will remember the times when we won those big matches

We will remember the times when we should have stepped up

We will remember the times we should have kept our mouths shut

No one would take it back, though there are times we regret

We have built friendships, brotherhoods, all because of the mat

Reviews

[*kerri*]

Wow. You did a very impressive job here. The imagery was outstanding! I felt like I could almost see everything, and I think that is something a poem definitely needs. This was a great read and was VERY well written. Nice job!