A Girl With a Racket

Cannot forget this dear friend from my youth, Met her on practice wall, lithesome and fair, Charms of a waitress, a confidence there, ‘Beauty,’ her virtue, and that is the truth. Friendship developed, we flirted at court, Love of the stroke, not to win, was her art, Net ever-present to keep us apart, Not her dream man, I still won her support. Many admirers, most pushed to the side, Marriage it seems was not her cup of tea, Her goal, a picture of what she could be, Her dream of future the whole of her pride. Women have come and gone. Still, we are friends! Nectar untasted can sweeten the flow’r, (Chemical magic bonds moisture and flour, Promises rainbow as true love intends). These verses yours, my friend, long missing rhyme, Born of the soul, now, at last, see the light, Cradled small bird, I release it to flight, Hoping it soars till the ending of time! Brian Johnston July 27, 2017 Poet's Notes: For Stephanie Gerber, God's blessing through life, though never my wife on the eve of her sixty-first birthday.