grading

[Benjamin]

they tango and pas-de-deux

through high kicking moves with martial grace

maintain the discipline of their stance and face

each others incumbent stare

 

the sensei signals to them

half-contact and endorses their time

with fresh bands of diligence for ben aged nine

and emily who is ten

[dedalus]

(sensei, "sen-say", lit., of a previous generation.)

[dcmarti1]

I have a sneaky feeling maybe great-uncle or grandpa is writing for his relatives? It turned VERY sweet with the mention of the kids' specific ages. Nice family paean.....

[haroldje]

It looks like two stanzas of Sapphics. The ancient and the present --- the grand-grand parents and the grand-grand children.

[Benjamin]

The Sensei is twenty five years younger than I : Emily (an Anglo- Asian child) recently achieved black belt status after five years at kick boxing. She trains and spars with Ben (my grandson) who loves it and is well on the way to catching her up. A recreational learning process that instils such values as discipline, respect, self worth, grace of movement and confidence. Things that (hopefully) they will never forget. One of the few pleasures of old age can be influence metered through love, with the best of intentions for successive generations.

[dedalus]

"One of the few pleasures of old age can be influence metered through love, with the best of intentions for successive generations."

 

An incicive comment. (Whistles for secretary). Hammer, chisel, slab of marble, chop chop! What? One of the B5s, I would say.

[dr_con]

I love this!

 

Was just about to look up info for a friend on a local Zen monastery, and walked outside and saw 'hanging out' by the Batting cage in our community park, next to the junior league baseball field an old Asian gentleman wearing a traditional Judo shirt and came in and read this, which fit nicely with the theme- But stood out as a wonderful portrayal of a familial scene, etched in black and white

 

Many Thanks,

 

Juris