He stands in the doorway of a hexagonal room
The sea air wafts through the open windows
Its night with only a crystal chandelier to give light
To his left is a wall of weapons
To his right a fireplace
He walks to the front of the fireplace
Atop its mantle is a chessboard
The squares are made of cararra and fior di bosco marble
He places a long necked vase onto the Queen’s space
Asiatic lilies are painted all around the base
He uncorks the vase and slides the cork into his right breast pocket
From the wall of weapons he pulls off a Tai Chi sword
He raises the blade above his head with his right arm
While simultaneously lifting his left arm and leg
He pinches together all but the index and middle finger of his left hand
“For the World,” he calls into the air
The song from the Hero soundtrack by Tan Dun plays loud and clear
He slides his left foot back as the knee of his right leg bends
He simultaneously thrusts the sword and his left arm forward
The Tai Chi sword moves fluidly as he uses the sword and his feet to attack
To ward off imaginary enemies he transits the sword to his left hand
When his body is warm he returns the flexible Tai Chi sword to its rack
Now he takes hold of a katana that was folded a thousand times
He slips its sheath through the belt of his dress pants
“Seven Samurai,” he says
Fumio Hayasaka’s music plays all around him
The blade’s sharp edge is up as he draws it out
He moves rapidly, mostly with both hands on the hilt
The steel on his tap shoes click with every lunging movement he makes
But he is not interested in the rapidness of a fighting style right now
Instead the attack and defense movements are drawn out
To emphasize emotion
When he is done he kneels and places the sword before him
He sets his left hand followed by his right onto the floor
And bows deeply
He sits up placing his right hand on his right thigh first
With another slight bow he places the sheathed katana back on its rack
Now he stands with soft knees
“Play,” he says
Falls from Ennio Morricone’s The Mission soundtrack fills the room
He inhales as he raises his arms above his head
His wrists flex so the tops can be used to block
When his arms reach above his head he begins to exhale
Pressing down with his wrists extended to strike
Three times he repeats this movement
Closing his eyes he waits to a count of seven
Before raising his right hand to take her left
He encircles her upper back with his left arm
He feels her right hand resting on his left shoulder
Inhaling deeply he smells the intoxicating scent of lilacs from her hair
The sound of Wallace Courts Murron from James Horner’s Braveheart soundtrack pours through the room
He feels her body press up against his
The beat of her heart matches his
Both increasing as they move faster
Her voice hums to the sound of Am I Not Merciful from Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator soundtrack
Causing his steps to falter but for a moment
Her hips squeeze firmly into his as Promontory from Randy Edelman and Trevor Jones’ The Last of the Mohicans soundtrack blares through the room
She moves away from him so only their hands are touching
They hold up each other’s weight as they dance in circles
He pulls her closer again and she lays her cheek onto his chest as Elysium from Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator soundtrack plays
When the song ends his hands hold only empty air
His eyes open and at first he feels disoriented
Soon he takes out the cork and kisses it
Diligently he presses it into the top of the vase with his left hand
Not realizing his right hand is resting on the King’s square
D.W. June 2021
