Book One (Odyssey)

Feet

Spread, turned

Out; knees bent;

Back hunched; arms held

Against sides, hands kept

Between knees, centered low; 

Eyes focused on opponent.

Zeus

Sent words:

Poseidon

Should cool his wrath

With Odysseus;

Calypso should set him

Free, homeward to Ithaca.

First

Weigh-in

At the school,

Lined up naked

From the start- no briefs-

In wrestling locker room, 

Nuts to butts triggered a rise.

Move:

Shuffle 

With short steps 

Side to side, or

Place one foot forward,

One kept back; forward one

Moved, kept back quickly followed.

Boy

Cried in

Frustration

During public

Speech, suitors have held

Household hostage until

Penelope declared choice.

Once

Weighed, each

Stood aside,

Directed to 

Lower head, lift arms

Above head, turn around,

Examined closely by coach.

Reach

Out while

Circling your

Opponent, grab

The back of his neck,

Tap his head; when he tries,

Swat his arms, or hands away.

Blame

Mother,

Antenous

Replied, she played 

Tricks, weaving by day,

Unraveling by night,

Laertes' shroud unfinished.

Weights

On scale

Sorted boys

Into classes,

Those with facial hair

Topped each bracket, paired up

In sweats for practice matches.

Drop

Level 

Lowering 

Hips, knees bent, eyes

Locked on opponent's

Moved, left leg extended

Back, right leg tilted forward.

Zeus

Warned with 

Two eagles,

Halitherses

Prophecised return 

Of an unrecognised

Odysseus among them.

Team

Warmup 

Started with 

Calisthenics,

Counted jumping jacks,

Push-ups, sit-ups, stretches,

Pace quickened running in place.

Use

Hands to 

Lock forearm

Of opponent,

Pivot on left foot,

Back into him, right knee 

On mat, pull his shoulder down.

Signs 

Ignored

By suitors,

Telemachus

Requested ship, crew

To learn news, or would build

Tomb, give mother new husband.

Coach,

Wrestler,

In neutral 

Position, coach

Bent to penetrate, 

Stayed low, touched mat, used hands

To pass between wrestler's legs. 

Grab

Waist of 

Opponent,

Straddle his legs,

Bend knees, arch back, lift

While turning him around,

Drop to knee maintaining hold.

Ship

Procured,

Provisioned

With jars of wine,

Sacks of grain, crewed by

Volunteers, Athena 

Launched Telemachus at night.

Each

Pair of 

Wrestlers made

Decision: who 

Would stand; who would try

Out awkward lunges meant

To avoid brushing sweatpants.