Sunday, February 24, 2013

Third Place


("Third place" in the sense coined by sociologist Ray Oldenberg to refer to spaces--not work, not home--where we connect with others, known and unknown, bond over shared interests and forge community.)

Lending patient sympathy to woes of
Injury
Indignities of age
(youth and geezerhood—each have their tribulations)

Helping to untangle cords,
Straighten a blade
Test a bad connection
Lend a pair of socks

Finding one good thing
To compliment
Amongst the countless blunders
In our bout

Overlooking flares of peevishness
Respecting fallibility, recognizing it as
Common currency
Of practice

This is what we do, each of us for each
As clubmates, teammates, sometimes even friends

People find their families where they can
Chance-met assemblages of
Common cause
At home, at work, at play

The ferrous kinship of the blade,
Formed in the salle, is strangest yet
But forged in kindness
Even-tempered, strong, forgiving of our flaws

Monday, February 18, 2013

Lessoning


An errant twitch could mean I erred
Or not
***
You interrupt your charge to turn, and curse
Did I mess up…
Or did you tweak your back?
***
Once wrong, twice wrong
Damn autocorrect
You knew I’d go too far
The other way
The third time ‘round
***
I don’t give you lip
But my mute outrage
Reeks of skepticism
‘til you penetrate my guard and
Prove your point
***
This is my revenge:
My sincere look of utter disbelief when
Something that we practice
Works
And scores the touch