Final Exam

You put into play all the images in your mind
The words and ways you memorize the lines
It’s like observing from the sidelines
The pusher who turns back the ball every time
She defends every shot as if spitting out terms
For a final exam she knew before she learned
But how do you beat a pusher this stern
When she scales the court with all her burn
Why, don’t play her game or lower your own
But move quickly to receive the fair volleys that drone
Take the dinks over net and break the rhythm and tone
By sending a passing shot to the backcourt alone
At that moment you’ll realize you’ve passed the test
You can settle in for all the rest
The answers lie not in the observers’ request
But in the one who questions her own bequest