New balls

As a child I functioned
as the raised half of a
table tennis table,
serving to my father
and returning each new volley
under the pines.
Playing doubles throughout
our singles match
I remembered my father
was just the father
someone else taught him to be,
then it was
love all

when the wind
swept the ball away,
me drawing him from
the other side toward
the treeline,
set the score.