RAVEN MACK is a mystic poet-philosopher-artist of the Greater Appalachian unorthodox tradition. He does have an amazing PATREON, but also *normal* ARTIST WEBSITE too.

Friday, July 21

Nagoya Basho 2017 Honour Tanka Day 8: URA (5-3)

(Hakuho finishes off young Ura) 

Hakuho’s beaten 
many opponents before 
their hands leave the sand 

eldest yokozuna and 
history’s grand champion 

only a handful 
of wins away from all-time 
historic record 

and yet here comes young Ura, 
with only fourteen bashos 

his third basho at 
makuuchi, afraid of 
no one his elder 

Hakuho tosses salt with 
more anger than anyone 

psychological 
or metaphysical - these 
tactics have back-up 

Hakuho stalks before bouts, 
glaring with ominous threat 

and yet young Ura 
is not shook, and already 
maegashira 4 

Hakuho blasts with standard 
force, often unstoppable 

Ura does not stop 
but pauses and redirects, 
moving in spiral 

Ura’s able to fend off 
an immediate defeat 

verse yokozuna, 
this is victory enough; 
but bout continues 

pushed back to edge, Hakuho 
has obvious advantage 

Ura (however) 
remains unshook, and attempts 
to twist his elder 

heel to rice straw bale, toes dug 
in with stubborn resistance 

only the young are 
stubborn enough to not see 
what is obvious 

Hakuho has no mortal 
match; this shall be his basho 

and yet young Ura 
does not give a fuck, twisting 
after kinboshi 

Hakuho contorts with him, 
redirecting redirect 

just as Hakuho 
is turned more than easily 
done, Ura is tossed 

he lands in defeat, at least 
in this particular bout 

but Ura’s fighting 
spirit is strong - tactics can’t 
train a stubborn heart 

Hakuho’s star is well-known, 
as Ura’s starts to take shape 

(the full match from Jason's Sumo Channel, should you care to watch it)

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