The Art of Being Martial

From an ancient time and an ancient land
comes the knowledge
the warrior has made a part of being
for a time such as this
when peace is absent and
rationale has failed...
the use of the body
as a weapon or a shield
ready to receive or deliver
the required impact
limb to limb
muscle to muscle
breath to breath
without hate...without malice
with only calmness in knowing
that even the Earth...gentle mother...
will flex her muscles
once in a while...
when she has had enough
of the aggressors' transgressions
and there is...really...no other way
for a warrior to stop them
except to
devoid the mind and make it ready
relax the body to make it wait
for the instant to...
store breath
release breath...and
unleash
the art of being martial
passed down
through generations of ancestors
for this moment
which can only unfold...this way