Judo: Poetry in Motion

My Dojo

Waiting on the mat
My Sensei kneels up front
He tells us all to Rei
Judo has begun
We start off with a warm up
Then move on to throws
Randori then some Ne Waza
Grappling and holds
Enjoying every moment
I hope of going far
Ignoring all the aches and pains
Proud of burns and scars
Then kneeling on the mat
My Sensei waits up front
He tells us all to Rei
Judo is now done
We stack away the mats
Then put them in the van
I wish it wasn’t over
I wish we’d just began
Then I say goodbye
But wish that I could stay
While I dream of Judo
My sensei drives away
Thinking of my Dojo
My Sensei at the front

Remembering his Rei
Judo is such fun!
by MC, 14

Just for fun I started

Use it to get fit

Do it for a little while

Only now I’ll never quit!

Song of Judo

by Kyuzo Mifune

(written in 1952, published for the 1964 Olympics)

In time of practice, without distraction,
Light in heart and light in limb,
Let us endeavor with full attention,
To concentrate our mind within.
This is the genuine way of Judo,
This is the genuine way of Judo.
Trained through practice to perfection,
Skilled in the art to rise and fall,
Let us enter the way of salvation,
Freely moving about like a ball.
This is the genuine way of Judo,
This is the genuine way of Judo.
The way of Judo knows no bound,
The mild of heart no enmity,
Let us, all nations hand in hand,
Build the ideal of amity.
This is the genuine way of Judo,
This is the genuine way of Judo.

Submitted by Peter Holme (Kendal, England)

Why do I do judo? ‘taint no mystery
Need to have a good medical history
My physio told me judo is great
Help them blood cells circulate
Good for the lungs, great for the ticker
There ain’t nothing gets ya in a better shape quicker
Feels so healthy feels so sweet
Pulling with my arms sweeping with my feet
Moulding my muscles firming my form
Panting like a Shire horse sweating up a storm
Keeps me youthful, keeps me loose
Tightens my tummy and shrinks my caboose
Beats being sluggish, beats being lazy
Why do I do judo, maybe I’m crazy

Courage.

Is not the absence of fear,

but acting,

despite the fear.

Sweat more in training so you bleed less in battle

Every fall you take makes you stronger.