Zen Golf - another poem by Steve Tighe, our Poet Laureate

Zen Golf

A cloud shadow glides down the fairway,

Undulating over hills,

Smoothing the bunkers and green,

Sweeping away all other shadows.

My ball is propped up in short grass.

My mind is free of shadow.

I can see into the dimples on the ball.

Keep your head down.

Take it back slow.

The iron sweeps through the ball.

The sun breaks

From behind the cloud,

Lighting its edges.

The ball,

A bright white dot

Against green, then blue,

Arcs,

Drops,

Bounces,

Comes to rest.

--Steve Tighe

[Editor's note: We meet interesting people playing at Oaks North Golf Course. Readers will recall that golfer Steve Tighe wrote a wonderful poem about Dean Cooksy following his death. "Zen Golf" is another example of his talent. He wrote this poem in the 1980's, and it was published in a paper in Milwaukee called The Shepherd Express. He has a degree in Journalism from Marquette University and a graduate degree in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he also taught Creative Writing. He also edited the program guide for the local PBS stations and worked for Schlitz Brewing as a writer before it went downhill. He enjoys writing poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Steve was born and grew up in the Philadelphia area, but came to the Midwest to go to college and stayed there, except for two years in the Army, until he and his wife Patsy moved here three years ago to be near their daughter who works at the Wild Animal Park as a zookeeper for the big cats. He also wanted to play golf year-round in paradise.]