choosing pain is like drinking warm beer
for the chance that it may make you laugh
i chose pain, so i could face my fear
of standing up to the forces of death

each day, without exception
i train my body, my mind, my girlfriend
to prepare for the illusive conception
that i think of as arriving just before the end

trash dogs pull the sled of time
across the canvas of my desperate efforts
crawling where once long ago sisyphus climbed
beyond the search for the triumph of blood sport