Punching Air

A boxer

Hurt his opponent

Knocked him through the ropes

But

He got up

And was ready to go

But the boxer who had knocked him down

Was facing the wrong way

And started walking forward

And punched the air

7 or 8 big hooks

Against no one

Against an invisible opponent in his mind

And finally

The ref stopped it

It was one of those moments

That makes your heart sink

And then when you hear

That he had bleeding in the brain

And passed away in the hospital

Its enough to make a fighter cry

And wonder why

The hell does he fight?

-C.H.