Food for the Body If so, then what is Judo A breath for the soul…?  Japanese judo Downed by kesa-gatame 1964  Eyes fixed, grip subtle Judoka faces the foe Searching for ippon 
Windmill sweep uke Falls like cherry blossom Tossed by the wind 
One heartbeat careful Turning around upside down Crushed like careless snow 
Eyes squint, nose crinkles Toxic smell rolls over us Please, please, wash your gi! 
The steams of July January’s stinging drafts Dojo doors open 
Crashing down Towards stiff tatami — Stinging defeat 
Spring contest rages Inner calm the judoka Exploding kiai! 
Drifting butterfly Strike swiftly, uchimata! The spine is fractured 
Old sensei watches Young men – no tai sabaki He snaps! “Use Hara!!” 
Waiting pressure builds The cutting ashi waza Brings winter defeat 
Old Judoka slumps Feeble man? No! Watch him fight! True skill knows no age 
My frozen garden Stiffened hanging judogi White sprinkled all over 
Echoes in disgust “Maitta! Don’t you know this?” His arm now hangs limp 
The contestants bow White and blue face each other Ippon is the goal 
Immersed Judoka lifetime tatami dripping winter walking dry? 
The thin wrap of cloth (Ippon) heavy grows the sash his winter coming. 
shuffling bent old man seeking sun in the green field tatami warms him 
Hugh gray cloud rising Twisted black and white lightning thunderous ippon 
Stiff kuro obi summer floating butterfly Metamorphosis 
Oh my aching neck Okuri-eri-jime Sliding all the way 
Lacking kuzushi, Launches me into orbit. So many stars out. 
An early winter Red snow cools conflagration Men called to battle 
Blowing on hands, Cold feet on tatami, Winter training. 
IJF judo Jigoro rolls in his grave Ippon desu-ka?!?! 
Failed seoi nage Kouchi makikomi Thunder and lightning 
Why fight for high grips? Morote seoi nage Seiryoku Zenyo 
Hot summer judo Move in, pull up, squat low, kake Down you go. Ippon! 
The wind blowing cold Okuriashi Harai Both feet sliding out 
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