Full Baby Nelson Poem by Francie Lynch

Byron and I play
The All Topics Open.
Eighteen holes of talk
Invariably draws nostalgic.
Byron mentioned he went to the WWF in Detroit.
I sliced into a childhood memory
Off midgets at Cobo Hall:
Cobo Hall, Saturday Night. Be there or we'll come get you!
And the beer and cigarette commercials.
Byron started pitching old wrestlers and holds:
Leaping Larry Shane, great with the Anaconda vice;
Killer Kowalski vs. Bobo Brazil, pinned by the Crucifix and Abdominal Stretch;
Dick the Bruiser tagging with The Sheik
To defeat Gorgeous George and Crybaby McCarthy.
Byron went on in detail, with tabernacle authority:
'It was a Bear Hug that quickly swung in to a Quarter,
then Half,
then Full Nelson;
Crybaby bounced off a knee,
Was driven to the mat and pinned
By a Front Sleeper.'

Jimmy's newborn picture faded in,
and the pose he naturally struck
baby arms
cocked like a sideshow muscle man.
Daddy quipped: Dick the Bruiser.
(Oh... Jimmy. Jimmy) .

I wanted to be Leaping Larry.
Daddy quipped: Larry the Stooge.
I didn't see that moniker coming.

Byron sounded teed off. I could hear him... but
I was zoning.
Crybaby and Front Sleeper made me smile.
How times Venn.

I was pinned yesterday.
I recognized the feeling.
I was pinned for life,
By a tag team:
The inescapable
Full Baby Nelson.
You know the hold.
On your back.
Baby on chest, face down.
Pinned.

Then Byron flopped one,
Dead centre green.
Byron is no midget, but with the
Right camera angle...