Willpower

I can see

that you’ve noticed

how I bend 

everyone 

to my terrible will 

with the best of intentions

I can see that your chair

is five inches further away

but that is a mistake

in martial arts you learn

if you are not sure about

your opponent 

you had better be either

very far away

or dreadfully close

too tight for them to 

also make a move 

when you start your cut

you are still ahead 

of most people 

they haven’t the wit to 

comprehend 

that I’m working on dominion 

they are still pushing power

into my hands 

and hoping that 

they can slough off 

the burden of the work

but I crush the cost

all that thermodynamic energy 

passes into me like a pyre 

of pyrotechnics

ready 

to blow off 

the roof.