Working Out Of A Corner Office Poem by Tom J. Mariani

I thought I started out strong
After taking many body blows
My guard began to drop

It felt like - -my head being snapped back
I keep moving while holding on
Waiting for the bell

Once seated in my corner
My cut man
Goes to work

Cotton swabs and alum
Attempting to stem the red flow
From above my right eye

He presses on my face
With a piece of ice-cold steel
Trying to keep the swelling down

My manager is moving around
In front of me waving an ice-bag
Replaying his advice from all my fights

The crowd has their opinions too
If I could turn and challenge them
To step inside the ring

That would get them
To back off
That and standing up and spitting

Water and blood in their direction
Into a bucket that sits on the apron
Near the ringside seats

Instead my mouthpiece is slid back in
Past swollen lips while I wait in my corner
For the bell that will start the next round

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[I dont' usually make comments on my poems. That's up to the readers to do. However, I've heard from so many readers that can't get past the controlling image of this poem; boxing. I wrote this poem long ago. Long before I saw the movie, 'Michael Clayton.' For some of the other facets to work for the reader of this poem, I have two suggestions: 1) it's out on DVD now so you can rent the movie 'Micheal Clayton.' Think about the character Arthur working out of a corner office, and 2) like any poem, my title is trying to give you a hint of what direction the poem is going to take. a) metaphor of 'working out' - - trying to take care of yourself and b) the stress, grind and responsibility of working in middle or upper business managemnt.

I put this after the end of my poem. I don't want to spoil it for a first time reader. I hope they got, on their own; that this poem is not just about boxing. The same way that Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is not about the cruelty to an Albatross, nor is Virgina Wool's 'The Death of the Moth' about lepidopterology.]