Just As I Begin
my second mile to nowhere, I notice her.
With her back facing me, she stands by herself in front of the racquetball courts,
but I can see her reflection in the glass: black niqab, neon orange Nikes, ferocious eyes.
Her hands glide together as she sweeps up prayer and captures it between her palms.
One orange Nike disappears into her skirt as she transitions to tree pose.
My treadmill whirs as it adjusts to the increasing incline, and I stumble
before finding my rhythm again.
Embarrassed, I look around and make eye contact with her reflection.
Without breaking our connection, she nods encouragingly, her bold eyes now warm,
and soars from tree to eagle.
© Hannah Jane Weber
Hannah Jane Weber’s poetry has been published in I-70 Review, Plainsongs, The Poeming Pigeon, Ponder Review, Rosebud, Slippery Elm, and more. She is also a recipient of the Dylan Thomas American Poet Prize. Hannah Jane is a children’s librarian and tennis enthusiast. She lives with her husband and their golden retrievers.
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