Thesis Defense

Blurry red fills his vision as he crashes back against the ropes,

back aching for the support of the taught cords.

Bruised and battered, he fixes his gaze upon his adversary, who rests

brightly lit in the dark room.

Focus.

He heaves himself upright and raises his hands.

Bracing,

he alters his style and fortifies against the coming onslaught.

Inevitably,

like barbed arrows that pierce, stick, and dribble lines of red, each blow marks a hole in his defense.

Back against the chair, bruised anew,

he sees blurry red,

but less, less red than before. He has survived another round

of editing.