Poetry again today, or at least an attempt at it. It was a good practice, although I felt compelled to do the tai chi form all the way through a second time. This is becoming habitual (not really), but two days of not meeting my own standards on the first try is annoying.
Today is the fourth movement in poetry, namely Ward off Right. This is a defensive posture, mostly, designed to protect the flank immediately after stopping the forward attack with ward-off left.
With feet spread apart and left foot in front,
shift most of your weight from right foot to left,
to close up the gap where you bore the brunt
of the last attack. Let the right foot drift
alongside the left — and hands carry ball,
this time so left lifts, and right pushes down.
Swallow-tail the right hand to make a wall,
as right foot strides out on the way to town.
Let right wrist to left foot be a steel bow,
a tense curve of line that holds open space
between right hand and sternum; let all know,
how dynamic and flexible this space
for the hands block whatever approaches,
and push back against all that encroaches.
So, that means that so far we’ve got four movements in this poetic scheme, namely Opening, Circling Hands, Ward-Off Left, and Ward-Off Right today. Tomorrow, in theory, we’ll have Roll Back.
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