A Rondo-Minuet Hybrid on My Daughter Learning Tae Kwon Do
“Can one be a saint without God? – that’s the problem, in fact the only problem, I’m up against today.” Albert Camus, The Plague
Her mind’s in ready stance. A brush
With beauty is a deadly brush: what dragons
Learn too late is plush
In her. She masters poomsae. What’s that fragrance?
That’s her mastery. No push
Is hard enough to silence her skull-crushing
Keup. It’s not to brag
When I point out the sky’s concussion
Had a telling lag…
It came on the heels of her axe kick! Confusion
Hates this third-grade student’s skill,
Her dojang concentration. Every spreading
Block is logical –
Fearfully made, in fact – so punches heading
For her head wind up in school.
Elegant gales and ludicrous joules Achilles
Would envy can’t be read
By dobok-wearing silly billies.
Then she bows, and dread
Is blown into my lesser heart’s Antilles.
Jake Sheff is a paediatrician and veteran of the US Air Force. He’s been published widely, and nominated for the Pushcart Prize. His chapbook is “Looting Versailles” (Alabaster Leaves Publishing). A full-length collection of formal poetry, “A Kiss to Betray the Universe,” is available from White Violet Press.
.
PLEASE NOTE: ARTICLES CAN ONLY BE REPRODUCED IN OTHER SITES WITH DUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BORDERLESS JOURNAL
Borderless 