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MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE
Trilogy
​
By Bill Marable

“I’m so mean, I make medicine sick!”
Joe sat listening as Clay spit slick.
The Champ laid all his belts on the table
For a chance to show Clay he was able
To defend all his titles without a doubt
And make Clay shut his damn mouth

Joe and Muhammad, on a Monday night
In America’s Mecca, for “The Fight”
Round after round Clay gave, but he took
Frazier’s bullish jab, violent hook
Joe was ‘Smoking’ without apology
Successful in 15, bout one of the trilogy

Controversy reigned in 74
The heavyweights met once more
Clay held and ran and grabbed
And in the mix, he jabbed
Wrapping Joe’s arms, Clay had a hunch
Frazier can win if he can’t throw a punch

“It will be a killa
and a thrilla
and a chilla
when I get the Gorilla in Manila,”
Roles reversed, Clay wore the hardware
Which Joe vowed to reclaim, in a ring, anywhere
Ali/Frazier III, the greatest of all time
Ali in 14, stayed true to his rhyme


  • ISSUE #4 CELEBRATING BLACK MEN
  • Mission and Content
  • POETRY AND PROSE
  • Photography Celebrating Black Men - ICONS AND ANCESTORS - SUSAN J. ROSS
  • ESSAYS SHORT STORIES AND ​LOVE LETTERS
  • BIOGRAPHIES
  • About US
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • ISSUE #3 CELEBRATING BLACK CULTURE
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY AND PROSE
  • BLACK MUSIC PHOTO ESSAY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • VISUAL ART GALLERY
  • BIOGRAPHIES
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • Support Merge Literary Magazine
  • ISSUE #2 CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • FEATURED WRITERS AND ARTISTS
  • MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE PRINT EDITION
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • Multimedia Art Review
  • PHOTOGRAPHY CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
  • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • ISSUE #1 POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
    • Mission and Content
    • About US
    • POETRY
    • PROSE
    • ART ILLUSTRATION
    • ESSAYS AND PLAY
    • MULTI-MEDIA QUILT REVIEW
    • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
    • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
    • Support Merge Literary Magazine
  • ESSAYS SHORT STORIES AND ​LOVE LETTERS