keeper

how many sleepless nights spent in your tiny cubicle?
struggling to keep awake
resisting the dreams of boxing rings and ancient fights
clenched fists being traded on a world-sized square
fuels the dead hours
fights the loneliness
lights up your eyes as you roam the corridors at night
you imagine yourself
on your way to the heat of the spotlights
jumping and swerving your arms instead of walking
taking the blow
feeling the sharp pain in your head
gaining momentum
for the decisive move
the count, the bell
the raising of the arms
the crowning...

...you don't ask for much
only a kind word from the passers-by
and a look that does not go through you...
after all, you could have been one of them
the ones that will never be forgotten...