Intertwining 50 years of high level judo experience, with 50+ years of mechanical engineering experience, and a lifetime of reading and writing, the author has produced a book consisting of 16 poems and an essay. The poems, written mainly for people who have experienced judo, at all levels and all ages, cover a wide range of subjects. The poems are intended to be thought provoking, as well as instructional, educational, elucidating, enlightening and hopefully, above all, entertaining.
The opening poem, 'Hello to Judo, ' introduces a potential beginner to what he or she can expect to experience from attending judo classes. The positives of judo are endorsed but the beginner is also given preparatory notice with the following lines:
Most sports at first are easy to play,
Because one's motor skills show the way.
But beginning judo is a different story,
Because learning with patience comes before the glory.
Most of the poems have a central theme or message. In the poem, 'The Clever Lever, ' the message is that he or she is simply a lever when applying a throw. In the poem, 'An Amazing Fact, ' the message is that only the choreography of a throw is usually taught.
The essay, 'Judo's Consistent Curse, ' reveals the pitfalls of a ranking system integral with the politics of a sport. This is done by imagining the effects a ranking system would have on the sport of cycling.
The book is prefaced by Mr. Jim Bregman, Americas first judo Olympic medalist, bronze Tokyo 1964.
