Adrian Matejka, Poet Laureate of the state of Indiana, 2018 to 2019. He recites "Ticket on the Titanic," a poem from his volume "The Big Smoke," 2013. On the projection screen behind Mr. Matejka is a video clip of a Jack Johnson versus Tommy Burns boxing match. They spar, and wrestle together momentarily, clinching. The referee intervenes and pulls the two fighters apart.
The fighters recommence their sparing, and Johnson lunges. They end up in another clinch, twisting back and forth as one unit, one entity, until the referee throws his arms between them.
The referee again gets between them and breaks up the clinch. They jab, not getting too close, when Johnson lunges forward.
Burns throws a punch, but Johnson ducks out of his way. They jab, turning this way and that, and clinch as they move across the ring.
The referee breaks up the clinch. They throw punch after punch, exerting themselves to connect. Johnson lunges forward, forcing Burns to the ground. Burns stumbles getting up, and Johnson returns to his corner. The referee gives them the signal to resume their battle.
They clinch, and together take step after step across the ring. The referee intervenes, and the sparring recommences.
Both standing firm in their places, they bounce, and jab selectively, trying every which way to land a punch.
The fighters step back, and then forth, and then get in a clinch until the referee separates them.