Melendez, Maria. How Long She’ll Last in This world.

ART OF COMBAT

"Ponytail out the back of her headgear, She punches air. Swings at the mirror, prepares for eye contact in the ring. Her own eyes now are not her own, they stand in for the opponent. Me, I could never punch a girl. But I might like a girl to hit me. so i could feel the power of the female fist.(pray with me now) Oh, split my lip! But she steps in there alone, leans on the ropes, shoulders back, arms falling slack like water off of stone; checkin' the scene like a king surveying funked-out hinterlands, hands just beginning to sweat in her red leather gloves."

Melendez, Maria. How Long She’ll Last in This world. Tucson: U of Arizona Press, 2006. Pg. 28

While going over this poem in class I Immediately knew I could relate to it. I know what if feels like to be preparing for something that is going to test who you are as a person. Sometimes no matter how hard you prepare you never know what to expect. When you get into the ring or other situation its not just you anymore but everyone and everything around you. You feed off the environment and the energy it gives you. While in the situation you have no idea if you are excited or scared and is more of an internal battle that is up to you whether you are going to step up to the plate when you are against the ropes.