Rugby

Is mud, blood, sweat, and rain
Hard hits, cleats slipping in the grass and mud
Arms wrapped around my legs, bringing me down.
On my back, a cleat plants itself on my elbow, digging into the flesh
I'm back up, sweat and rain blinding me as I dive into a tackle
a sudden flash of pain above my right eye, someone's knee connected with my eyebrow
I stumble, holding my head, but I'm back in the thick of things
Hitting, rucking, tackling, running
He has a breakaway, but I'm on his heels
I dive.
My shoulder connects, the hit is good.
The world explodes into light and pain.
I'm on the ground, crumpled in the mud, holding the left side of my head
I taste blood, realize it's mine.
The world sways as I find my feet
It continues to rock back and forth as I stumble off the field
the medics swirl around me, ask me questions
I spit out a broken bit of tooth, and answer
"It's game day, Saturday, April 21st, 2012"
"I feel good, I'm not nauseous, just a bit dizzy"
My eyes follow the medic's finger, left, right, up, down
My airway's clear, my neck can turn in all the right ways
I'm alive.