Filming Rainbows

By Rishona Michael

The opening scene of this film
starts with us taking turns
shooting
and then dribbling
a basketball.
Close ups of the court,
our sneakers against the asphalt,
your fingertips stagnant.
And several moments
when my shots hit the rim.
The ball is confident when it returns
directly
into my palms.
Do basketballs crave the highest point of the arch too?
When I'm swinging on swings
or wearing my favorite heels,
or jumping in the air,
I forget about the ground.
And like all movies there will be a jump,
or transition,
to the cubicle at work.
Here sunlight bounces off my rings
causing rainbows to disperse around
and today they remind me of
mini basketballs.
I do not love to play basketball
as much as I love
causing the rainbows to shimmer
with my fingers.
I’ve been playing more because
I love you and it doesn’t hurt.
But if this movie were to last
an infinite amount of minutes
with an infinite amount of shots,
eventually, there will be a rainbow
that lands directly into the net.

—

About Author

Rishona Michael is a grad student at Sarah Lawrence College and the winner of the 2023 John B. Santoianni Award for Excellence in Poetry. She has been published by Vitni Review, Salamander, Sand Hills, and Arrowsmith Press. She and her German Shepherd live in Brooklyn, NY where they love enjoying long walks, good food, and playing truth or dare with friends. Find Rishona on Instagram.