MICHAEL DOM

An entry in The Crocodile Prize
Kina Securities Poetry Award

In this ring you should get hit often,
Early on, as much as possible: want it.
In fact, walk right into it and always
Make sure you’re hit hard and that it hurts much,
Especially when you fall on your face;
Don’t try to save face let that get bruised too.
Believe me you don’t want to forget this
No matter what advice that well-meaning
Friends offer, they’re wrong. Do it again.
Get off the canvass and go back swinging.
Jump in the ring and walk into that punch.
Friends, no one can tell you what love feels like;
Keep your punches true; get hit where you must;
Don’t back down from a good toe-to-toe match.

This 14 line non-rhyming poem is a modern sonnet written in ten syllable lines, with a ‘turn’ in line 10 and a heroic couplet to end. Created 9:16pm, 17 February 2014 at Labu Station.