Skipping Rope (Retreat Poem #7)

By Walt Opie

“Be interested in whatever is happening!” –Sayadaw U Tejaniya

We are in silence.

I’m downstairs alone in the yoga room.

A fellow yogi comes in,

closes the door, kneels and begins

going through a box of various

gym objects.

She finds a jump rope

with wooden handles,

steps to the center

of the room, starts

skipping rope,

laughter spilling out of her.

She keeps going,

but not like a boxer

in training—

more akin to a kid,

jumping and stopping,

smiling to herself.

I lift 15lb weights

in my corner,

imagining her

some decades ago.

Later we eat lunch beside each other

in the dining hall

as if total strangers.

∞