Trying (for J.B.)

The entire time he sets up a strike he strains

eyes closed as if God had forgotten His keys and come back in for them

He paints crosses on his fingers and toenails

I watch the little white crosses while he goes for the pad.

His arm is extended but bent at the elbow

his palm is more of a door-knock fist

he leans in and delivers upon the pad

then jerks back into place

We have worked this strike since the beginning

Since I lined his holy feet up more than shoulder width

his eyes were closed then

but he didn’t hit as hard

He’ll stick with it until the end

training each muscle and synapse

eventually his eyes will be open wide

and with a hit, he’ll disintegrate the pad.