Why We Live Here
By Donald Nitchie
We like to say a day without tennis
is a waste, even in January
when the balls barely bounce. We have to shovel
off the court, and Lane wears snow gloves
to hold on to his racket.
One time the owners showed up
for a surprise winter visit — we skedaddled
before they caught us, but not before
we’d gotten in three sets, despite the sleet.
Maybe not our best tennis, Lane said,
but definitely our greatest escape.
Another time, after we were done
playing, holding on to their deck railing
as if it were ours, looking out over
the million dollar view of salt marsh and surf beach,
one of us said This is why we live here
and we shared the moment. Though now
that the caretaker’s on to us, we need a new court.
Thankfully there are more.
Donald Nitchie leads poetry drop-in meetings — group writing sessions — on Zoom once a month; check the Edgartown library schedule. His chapbook, “Driving Lessons,” was published in 2008. He mostly plays on public courts.
Poets with a connection to Martha’s Vineyard are encouraged to submit poems to m@mwest.com. Please also include a two- to three-sentence bio at the end of your poem.