This just came in by a circuitous route from Mr Scales:
'When Channel Four used to put on Sumo wrestling late at night I saw an interview once with Chiyonofuji, the "Wolf," the most dominant yokozuna at the time. Rather disconcertingly he looked almost like a regular human being (his opponents by contrast had nicknames like "Haystack" and "Dump Truck"). He said the key things they emphasised in training were physique (strength), skill/technique and chi (or qi – spirit or "heart"). He admitted that as far as some aspects of physique were concerned – sheer body weight, for example – he was deficient. But he compensated with exceptional skill and chi.
‘It's maybe spurious to use those categories to draw parallels with the making of poetry; but if we tweak the first to refer, say, to wit in the older sense – intellectual capacity – it's pretty rare to find the right balance of that plus technique and vital spark. If the Wolf is right, maybe two will do. Common enough, though, now to meet "poets" who aim to get by on one or none of the three.'
Any thoughts?
