I Used To Fight For Money Poem by Thabani Khumalo

I began to study my poisonous problems,
they were too many to count and too big to overcome,
and they happened to sneer loudly - too loud for me to retain composure.
I screamed out hopelessly for a helping hand
and no one wanted to open their ears to hear my blaring outcry.
I didn't have anyone who'd stand by me and
commiserate with me on my very notorious predicaments;
I was not at all satisfied.

Everyday I kept on fighting vanities in their shadows
and it was as if I was trying to blast a mountain with my bare knuckles.
I kept on failing until I became greedy for too much gain
because without a win, I'd be completely wearing my physical form out:
I only waited around for one devious chance to pop
for me to resurge into a glorious release.
I inflicted my pain on many objects
until I was convinced I was running mad -
the trees and the rocks were not feeling a any pain.
I was busting myself open for nothing
and still, I wasn't at all satisfied.

I copied my pain and pasted it on other people
who were willing to give out more than they would ever receive.
It was nasty inside the squared circle
that was drawn by a stick upon the surface of the ground.
All my drive was the wickedness that defeated me daily and nightly,
and it was beginning to develop claws, furs and its teeth were fangs of serpents;
it was always in my vicinity if not at my house.

The only call I received amidst the drought
was from a bookie that placed on me most of his shiny dimes,
betting on the table for my head being lost on the battle ground,
and in every match it was anticipated that I'd lose and die.
I stood against very strong men
who were twisted mad about breaking my bones into little pieces -
I was dimmed a product of the grave and yet,
I lost every beginning of bouts by a grueling margin
and drew first blood before I dominated all the matches' ends -
the look didn't fit the scene of a deserving victor -
so on they worked to find a man who would tear me in half and leave me dead,
they thought I was too small to rank up in a dangerous tread.
It was like a prison where the big guys are favored to have their way on the smaller prey; and dominate their bodies all night in a prison cell,
and I was deemed the smaller prey on every encounter -
they seemed to have forgotten that
I had been directed there by my demon possessed bad friends;
they sniff drugs and kill people slowly in the middle of the night.
Even though I couldn't make a living wage
and take care of any of my decent needs,
I used to fight for money when I was a little younger.

At last I stood toe to toe with a man that breathed fire through his nostrils
throwing fits of rage and gunning for blood -
much to the cheers of the ecstatically livid crowds,
I fell twice on my back looking into the eyes
of the red eyed monster that was hungry for a kill
and at the least, he had put to the grave five scores of very scary men.
I gave the shots against the fire at the ring of the bell
until the he fell out and possessed nothing to rise anymore.
The arena became eerily quiet as I stood alone at the count of ten.
I tossed the title of the 'bare-knuckles dungeon'
across my shoulder to the loss of many placements
that had dimmed my maneuvers to fail me to the grave that night.
I walked out of the pit never to fight any man evermore
Because I slew the dragon that had ruled he underworld for many years.

I am the king of the ring where dying men love to hang out and wait to die,
where the rich put money and come out with more to buy more life.
It was like a prison where the big guys are favored to have their way on the smaller prey,
and I was deemed the smaller prey on every encounter -
they seemed to have forgotten that I had been directed there by my demon possessed bad friends.
Even though I couldn't make a living wage and take care of any of my decent needs,
I used to fight for money when I was a little younger.
I walked out the as the only victor of the night and everybody else had lost.
To this very hour the underworld knows,
my record still stands.