Villanelle of the Senior Tennis Round Robin
(For Carmine Marotta)
Returning each morning to dust and clay,
We brave the perilous tennis shore
To beat oblivion one more day.
On court number one we start the fray
Not waiting for Time to settle the score,
Returning each morning to dust and clay.
Life's easy volleys all put away,
Above the waist-high net we soar
To beat oblivion one more day.
We spin and slice to dupe our prey
With chips and drops and lobs galore,
Returning each morning to dust and clay;
No ace or smash to ease our way,
Just rallies longer than ever before
To beat oblivion one more day.
So toward the final court we'll play
Tomorrow and forevermore,
Returning each morning to dust and clay
To beat oblivion one more day.
Juan Ponce de Len at the Racquet Club
Here on the soil where once I fought,
The quest for youth is fiercely sought,
Against the foes of sun and wind
Fresh hope is pinned on hip just pinned,
On scoops made possible by scope of knee
Or wrists supported with mercury;
A magnet velcroed to a thigh
Provides the force to jump up high
And elbows bubble-wrapped in gas
Unleash to whip out one more pass.
Discs fused forever for a while
Won't let the chiro's claims beguile
And pacemakers set to set the pace
Power us toward prosthetic grace:
Returning all on dust and clay
To beat oblivion one more day.
