The Trick to Learning Pool at 70

Make it look good—
shoulders squared, eyes focused, glinting—
Tom’s teenaged grandsons don’t expect anything
so show them what you’ve got.

Hit the cue ball smack in the middle.
Let that tiny smirk pull
the corners of your mouth
when it delivers.

Don’t say much—study the patterns.
Stripes, solids—you’ll see where you need to aim
once you wave the ghosts aside.
Now breathe.

The angle of approach beckons and you must hit it hard or soft—
all depends on the scratch of your need.