Nagoya Basho 2021 Honour Tanka Day Nine: URA (5-4)

unpredictable 
Ura's a crowd favorite, 
being native-born 

four years ago, he had reached 
his highest ranking ever 

shooting through lower 
ranks, making makuuchi, 
and performing well 

got his first kinboshi star 
at Nagoya four years back 

day nine and ten proved 
to be defining moments 
for Ura's career 

beating Harumafuji - 
a yokozuna - day nine 

earning that first gold 
star honor for win over 
a yokozuna 

it seemed Ura has arrived, 
ready for big-time sumo 

day ten (still four years 
ago), Takayasu was 
his planned opponent 

near the lead, looking to be 
challenger for the title 

that day ten bout though 
changed trajectory, tearing 
his knee ligaments 

multiple surgeries and 
extended lay-offs for years 

multiple downward 
demotions, dropping levels 

each basho he missed

he dropped back down the sumo 
pyramid, near the bottom 

finally returned 
nine touraments ago, and 
has dominated 

won jonidan, sandanme, 
and then juryo this past May 

this basho has been 
Ura's triumphant return 
to the top level 

both knees heavily bandaged, 
showing the scars of his path 

fifteen bouts means that 
winning or losing records 
will always happen 

there is no status quo to 
hide behind within sumo 

kachikoshi hopes 
of winning record carry 
Ura on wrapped knees 

Takarafuji has him 
pushed back, about to go down 

Ura's record would 
tip to the negative with 
a day nine defeat 

even on worse-for-wear knees, 
Ura spin steps left, smoothly 

Takarafuji's 
momentum loses balance, 
falling out face first 

Ura bounces on those knees, 
absorbing more and more shock 

it's doubtful Ura 
will ever win a basho, 
or be ozeki 

but his fighting spirit should 
never be questioned; it's strong 

his fighting spirit's 
obvious any time he 
climbs into dohyo 

those heavily bandaged knees 
are sacrifice to sumo 

Aki Basho 2017 Honour Tanka Day 1: URA (1-0)

(Ura walks the line better than Johnson P. Cash)

the squad is mad thin - 

three yokozuna (plus more) 

already withdrawn 

event lacking star power 

necessitates young buck flex 

who shall step the fuck 

up, seize opportunity,

win aki basho? 

enough build-up - Day One was weird; 

one of four yokozunas 

ozekis losing, 

and shit felt like it wasn’t 

entirely complete 

perhaps this will be Ura’s 

chance to shine in lighter field 

his first bout against 

Shodai, young Ura tip-toed 

the edge of failure 

but he did yokozuna 

ballerina gravitas 

dumb American 

me anxiously awaits what 

shall rise to the top 

I, the dumb American, 
who watches youtube sumo 

Nagoya Basho 2017 Honour Tanka Day 8: URA (5-3)

(Hakuho finishes off young Ura) 

Hakuho’s beaten 

many opponents before 

their hands leave the sand 

eldest yokozuna and 

history’s grand champion 

only a handful 

of wins away from all-time 

historic record 

and yet here comes young Ura, 

with only fourteen bashos 

his third basho at 

makuuchi, afraid of 

no one his elder 

Hakuho tosses salt with 

more anger than anyone 

psychological 

or metaphysical - these 

tactics have back-up 

Hakuho stalks before bouts, 

glaring with ominous threat 

and yet young Ura 

is not shook, and already 

maegashira 4 

Hakuho blasts with standard 

force, often unstoppable 

Ura does not stop 

but pauses and redirects, 

moving in spiral 

Ura’s able to fend off 

an immediate defeat 

verse yokozuna, 

this is victory enough; 

but bout continues 

pushed back to edge, Hakuho 

has obvious advantage 

Ura (however) 

remains unshook, and attempts 

to twist his elder 

heel to rice straw bale, toes dug 

in with stubborn resistance 

only the young are 

stubborn enough to not see 

what is obvious 

Hakuho has no mortal 

match; this shall be his basho 

and yet young Ura 

does not give a fuck, twisting 

after kinboshi 

Hakuho contorts with him, 

redirecting redirect 

just as Hakuho 

is turned more than easily 

done, Ura is tossed 

he lands in defeat, at least 

in this particular bout 

but Ura’s fighting 

spirit is strong - tactics can’t 

train a stubborn heart 

Hakuho’s star is well-known, 

as Ura’s starts to take shape 

(the full match from Jason's Sumo Channel, should you care to watch it)

Natsu Basho 2017 Honour Tanka Day 9: URA (7-2)

Ura the missile 

headfirst relentless attack 

upon Shohozan 

every bout this basho 

has Ura bring excitement 

only his second 

basho at makuuchi, 

but you wouldn’t know 

Ura’s shown various styles 

but today was missile head 

four fat fists launch pad 

pink mawashi missile head 

forward without fail 

missile head undefeated 

Ura nears kachikoshi