She stares across the net, her concentration
perfect, a statue but for fluttering skirt,
caressed by a summer breeze. Anticipation
also makes statues of the fans, alert
for reverberating smack of racquet hitting
ball. Her shirt is soaked with sweat, a strange
sensation, but she's in the zone—for pitting
herself against the worthy combatant downrange
has swept stray thoughts aside. Slowly at first,
then with growing speed her racquet describes an arc,
first down then up; in a movement long rehearsed
she tosses the ball to kiss a preset mark
inscribed in the air. Her racquet doubles back
and brushes another mark beside her hip.
And now her snapping swing, and now the crack
as the ball explodes, a launching rocket ship.
The follow-through; she's riding on the ball—
an astronaut streaking through the void of space.
A lunge by her opponent, then a sprawl;
the fans erupt in cheers—another ace!
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Edwin