The Tennis Balls

On hot summer days

While I’m playing tennis

The sky is heavy with love; it shows me the warmth of the sun

Inside, my heart is smiling,

like a star that shines through a misty night

my soul—restless—filled with contentment

sways back and forth with the rhythmic beat of life.

On winter’s cloudy days, As I hit the tennis balls

their penetrating coldness upon me,

I become detached from my thoughts

speechless and silent

My body and mind merge in the warmth of the tennis court

As I watch the tennis balls bounce over the net

the warm air fills me with pleasure

relaxed and easy, the passion of the cold day,

the comfort of my mind,

carry me to the horizon

take me to the hills of bleakness,

to the center of gravity

as I reach full-handed to the other side of the net.

Shahla Latifi

August 2022