Extramural Tennis                                              


            When I took up tennis
            In my teens
            It was hard to find a 
            Practice partner
            So I looked for 
            Walls

            At first I valued them
            For smoothness
            But as my skill increased
            Irregularities were so much fun
            That matches then became a letdown
            In comparison

            Forehand, backhand, topspin, slice –
            Whatever I could manage was returned
            For me to hit again
            As long as I could keep
            The angle and the altitude
            Just right
            And not be tempted 
            By the sweet spot 
            Into using too much force

            It’s a pity my approach to
            Extramural occupations at the time
            Could never follow suit


            ________________________________________________________________________


            Emanuel E. García, Wandering Bark2013