The Bull | Teen Ink

The Bull

May 14, 2021
By tylerhyunpark SILVER, Los Angeles, California
tylerhyunpark SILVER, Los Angeles, California
6 articles 1 photo 0 comments

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   Tight shoes, a flashy outfit, the large sombrero,

2

     An outfit for actors not fighters.

3

     He paces back and forth

4

     Biting nails to the core,

5

     Reassuringly looks at his large spear

 in hand,

6

     The last day?


7

     He hears his name called

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     his cue

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     Cold sweat drizzles down his forehead 

10

   he mounts his horse who is swaying,

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   side to side,

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   snorting timidly.

13

   The bull fighter’s chest and stomach grinds

 like gears,

14 

   Not his first but always like the first

15 

   He goes into the tunnel


16 

   Here the stadium,

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   He wears his veil of confidence,

18 

   The gladiator greets his people


19 

   He hears the thunderous roar,

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   1000s of people,

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   Their adrenaline pervading the arena


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His excitement dies as he looks,

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   the Bull.

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   Horns purposefully sharpened,

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   knives.

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   Large back muscles,

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   steel.

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   Pitch black and

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   3200 pounds of fight and misery.

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   He knows the violence too well.


31 

   In the heart of the arena

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   fighters join him.

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   Clutching flashy spears tightly.

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   They know the fight too well.


35 

   The fight of no meaning 

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   except for the desire.

37 

   The crowd’s

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   excitement.

39 

   The crowd’s

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   yearning,

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   the yearning for the violence 

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   the yearning for pain

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   the yearning,

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   for death.

45 

   the restoration,

46 

             of primeval desires


The author's comments:

This poem was inspired by the painting, Mexican Bullfight, by Frederic Remington


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