I wonder if minds other than my own
occasionally consider
what exact moves they’d use
to beat the ever-living hell
out of their younger selves:
jabs, crosses,
hooks, uppercuts,
body shots, leg locks,
neck cranks, soccer kicks,
or hammer fists,
in some technical knockout
from combinations
where God’s ref has to step in,
wave their arms and say,
That’s it, they’ve had enough;
this new version of you wins.
Paul Edward Costa (he/him) is a poet who directs Toronto's Outer Haven Poetry series and is a former Poet Laureate for Mississauga. He's published in many journals and has released books with Mosaic Press and DarkWinter Press. He has featured at multiple poetry events across Canada. www.instagram.com/paul.edward.costa