THE SICKLY CHILD

by Ed Makowski

 

 

During the First World War
England, like many countries,
pursued emigrants
of adversarial nations
and placed them in internment camps. 

One German,
while confined at
Lancaster Castle,
created a method
to keep in shape
despite confinement,
which he named Contrology.

The man had been
a sickly child 
and kids made fun of his
Greek name, calling him
Pontius Pilate—Killer of Christ!

From a young age
he dedicated himself
to strength and healthy living.
Before the war
he’d worked in England
as a circus performer,
self-defense trainer,
and a boxer.

When war ended  
he moved back to Germany
and taught Contrology,
which became synonymous 
with his name, Joseph Pilates.

Pilates, strength born
of wartime confinement,
is now practiced routinely
between
driving the kids to gymnastics
and picking up dry cleaning.

 

 

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