in the WXW they call me “The Golden Geek”
my partner Roy is just “The Warlord”
[hero and villain] we wrestle each other every night
in the capillary towns bleeding off the [exit ramps] of I-76
in the rough ground between Pittsburgh and Philly
eating cheeseburgers [at the Big Boys] sleeping
in the wood motels with the [road Bettys]
of the muscular cupped bras and [7-Eleven coffee]
sometimes with child in tow and [tonight]
we’re putting on the show in the basketball gym
of another [Herbert Hoover High] or [VFW hall]
in the archaeological remains of an iron town
where we will build the [ring] and Roy
will set up a [dressing room] in the men’s room
the way he learned to set up a bedroom
in the back of a [Humvee] or the way I landed here
as a [tech worker] when my code was [shipped] overseas
and they taught us the [holds] how to fake a fall
[turn ketchup into blood] throw a punch that never lands
and they gave me a finishing move [“The Geek Leap”]
where I come somersaulting off the ropes
my [gold lamé] trunks flying wild under the lights
and you can smell [the popcorn] on the floor
and see [the fists] of patrons coming into bloom
all along the audience of tin metal chairs
and Roy is holding back a laugh as I land on him
to conclude [our drama] in the [usual way]
and there’s a road outside [going back to the highway]
where the stars [fall into place] and the moon
holds up its gold belt as Champion
of the Pennsylvania night
