What Every Fencing Parent Should Know About … ’Twas the Night Before the NAC

‘Twas the Night Before the NAC
By Greg Husisian

‘Twas the night before the NAC, and all through the hall,
Not a fencer was stirring, no lunges at all.
The fencers had prepared for the event with great care,
In hopes that gold medals soon would be theirs.

The fencers were nestled, in GroupHousing beds,
While visions of podiums danced in their heads.
And parents had iPhones set eight or nine times,
Because a NAC over-sleep would be a great crime.

When out on the strip there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my room to see what was the matter.
Away to the venue, I flew like a flash,
Somehow it sounded like a late-night blade clash!

The glow of the floodlights on hard concrete floors,
Gave a luster of magic to the fencing concourse.
But the hall felt eerie, like time stood still—
A strange, haunting presence that gave me a chill.

Then, through the darkness, a mist did appear,
Bringing whispers of footfalls and clangs soft and clear.
From out of the shadows emerged a delight,
The greatest of fencers, bathed in ghostly light!

“Now, EDOARDO! Now, ALADAR! Now, MARIEL and ALBERT!
Be on strip! And en garde! Ready to fence and alert!
Go straight to the pools, you are champions all,
Now, bout away, bout away, bout away all!”

There was Aldo Nadi, with his blade held high,
Too many provosts to count, with a glint in their eyes.
With graceful steps, they all took their stance,
As the phantoms began their great fencing dance.

“En garde!” they cried, with voices so clear,
Their passion transcending each bygone year.
Each bout was flawless, a showcase of art,
Their spirits were fencing, with all of their hearts.

The final touch was scored, the mist began to fade,
And each ghostly fencer sheathed his or her blade.
But before they vanished, I heard one of them say,
“Keep fencing alive—it’s our eternal way.”

The morning then broke, and the hall came alive,
As modern-day fencers began to arrive.
They warmed up with vigor, their dreams burning bright,
To etch their own stories in history’s light.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the floor,
The clashing of blades as bouts started to soar.
Not ghostly, not virtual, they sized up their foes,
Ready to counter each feint and each blow.

Their eyes—how they focused! Their footwork, how steady!
Their timing, their tempo—they came prepped and so ready!
Their attacks were like lightning, their parries so swift,
Each move wrapped up nicely, like a holiday gift.

The crowd held its breath as the touches were scored,
Each beep of the box bringing cheers or discord.
The refs raised their arms, with judgment precise,
Keeping it fair, enforcing what’s right.

I watched them all—so determined, so proud,
As they stepped on the strips and thrilled the crowd.
And in the end, history—well, it was very well made,
Those fencing ghosts, surely, were raising their blades.

And when they ascended the podium, after finishing their fights,
Their hard work had paid off, their smiles shone bright.
And as we left, we heard a ghostly voice as we drove out of sight,
“Merry NAC to you all, and to all a goodnight!”

Happy holidays to all!

Unlike this post, which consistently rhymes in either an AABB (couplet) or an AAAA (quatrain) pattern, Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” features no rhymes, which is known as a blank verse. "America" is also the third of three Paul Simon songs to center on Kathy Chitty, Paul Simon’s former English girlfriend, with the other two being “Homeward Bound” (AABBBB coupled rhyming scheme) and “Kathy’s Song” (ABAB alternate rhyming scheme). Some other famous songs that do not rhyme include “All I Wanna Do” by Sheryl Crow, “Fields of Gold” by Sting, and “White Room” by Eric Clapton.

Have an idea for a future blog post? Want more fun facts about Aldo Nadi? Just wondering what a “provost” is? Feel free to email me at usfafencingblog@gmail.com.

If you have questions about your membership or tournament registrations – or just want to request that USA Fencing add ghost fencing at all future NACs – visit the USA Fencing Contact Us page