Under Kiai

He broke in my soul,

Played the loot,

The petty thief stole

And I took no pursuit.

I’d learned defense,

The jab and trance,

But not the pretense

Of the offensive stance.

I dropped my guard

Scuffled my feet

Over the shards

Of my parried retreat

And he knew me, or else

He got lucky, I guess,

To read my tells

To let me confess

Secrets and sabotages.