Long Racquetball Poems

The village was nestled on the coast by itself, as if God had put it there all alone, on a shelf.

The residents were isolated just like the town, and universally uninformed from the top on...

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Our burdens are lifted—it’s spring break, after all.

Though ocean breezes, surf sounds, the smell of sunblock,
fresh tans and bottomless margaritas at the beach can be healing,
we decided to vacation on campus and find joy in...

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Football, volleyball, baseball, softball, 
Racquetball, handball, basketball, hardball. . . . 
There're lots of sports in the world you play with a ball, 
And you can't play any of them if you're an oddball. 

If...

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Oh, my, how excited, elated, I would be
to receive sudden financial prosperity.
The true appeal would not be the tangible
but the freedom I have longed to handle.

It is so easy and fun to imagine
the idyllic dream-cottage...

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I always feel a twinge of anger,
a truck load of guilt,
and a dash of sorrow
whenever I think of her

But mostly nothing at all 

My guess is all those year of
cuts to the bone
ingrown toenails
and broken...

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Four hours of word games a night, with two I-pads on my lap, is absurd.
But in the time it takes one to process I can be playing another word.

Painting has slowed down a bit since...

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My crushes are so numerable, it is crazy to try to remember them all.
When I love you it’s in a full blown puppy way, in your lap with Tarzan’s call.
Sky King, Mighty Mouse, Bugs Bunny,...

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Someone told me that all Smythes are crazy, and I believed them
At first, until I met one
Who was delightful, and kind, and did not generalize people
He gave me a chance, which was a marvelous thing.
For...

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I used to be able to outrun my puppy, not anymore, not anymore
Moving with arthritis in both ankles is a drag; I am kind of a bore
I am seventy-two, but some days I feel ninety-four,...

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I bought the Aztec Spirit Shield and an ancient voice began to speak.
She gave me information about the Mexicas, as they called themselves.
Did you play racquetball? I asked her. She said they had a game.
It...

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Words we sallied back and forth, 
  I feel the burn, all right, behind my eyes; 
Slow faltering motions, pained waves of sound, 
  Decision made, my life goes on, yet strangely dies....

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Some people find comfort in living the same day 
Every day doing what they did yesterday in the same way. 
I know a man who ate a ham sandwich with cheese plain 
No condiments every...

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I am forming my own wild sports team Grandma said.
We all wondered what in the atmosphere she had in her head.
Racquetball? Hockey? Wrestling? Softball or what?
Not sure yet, she said, but you may make the...

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SPACE
Our wonderful marriage had three keys!
Love, Compromise and SPACE were these!
So third and last is SPACE that I’ll write for you! 
Just in case you need a clue!
JoAnn loved books, painting, jewelry making and knitting
With...

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Being stuck is how I learned I am a cartoonist,
A poet, a writer, a painter.
Being stuck is what makes me 
Seek something new that will interest me.

I know when my brain needs something new.
Her dendrites...

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They gave me a new cornea, and I saw clearly for the first time.
I saw color, which I had never seen with my old eye.
I was amazed and excited, but then the eye began to...

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Apricot skin
Apricot face
Apricot hands
Apricot knees

Apricot apricots
Apricot cat
Apricot paint
Apricot baby's bottom

In my world I always think
Of a pricey apricot dress
My husband's pal paid way too much for it
Wanting to impress a girl who modeled it at...

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I used to dance until I could dance no more, said Matt.
a knee injury and arthritis in both ankles has stopped that
I used to play racquetball, jumping all around for two hours.
Now I can barely...

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Swimming was my favorite exercise as a child
Loved the freezing cold water even if air was mild
In the late seventies, racquetball became the rage
I drove my new baby to daycare and loved this age

Running was...

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