Life Doesn’t Pull Punches

Hook to the right
Jab to the front
Uppercut
Blood sprayed ring
Panting

Gotta get up
With one fist to the ground
Wavering and straining muscles
Legs giving out

Just as you stumble up
Life knocks you back down

Your family on one side
Your job on the other
Maybe one person in your corner
But alone in the ring

Aspirations are your blood smeared face
Your smile barely lifts under a cut lip
Your eyes puffing
No more view of the world

Just then you think you see a window
Attack life with sheer will
Catch the open spot
Go in swinging

Taken aback by a punch to the gut
Wind on the exodus
Breathless

Fight until you go down forever
An endless bout with life
A loved one already on the curtain call
The matches barely paying bills

Work to live
Fight to scrape by
Life doesn’t pull punches

When you think it can’t hurt worse
You think you’re numb to life’s pain
With a swift side punch to the jaw
You’re right back down, flat on the ground

Arms giving out
Now you gotta get back up again
Knowing you’ll be right back down again

Rinse and repeat.