spark and ruin – a fitness tale
she swings off the leg press turquoise tennies
blurred in movement hips snap back and forth
in alternate freedom arms abandon gravity
the thrill of a race
at the lat pull-down
a stiff-armed wave of the bar moves between
her pink spandex thighs and shoulders as the
weights sing along the metal guide and clack
at the end of each movement.
I slide onto a steel creature
its stack of gloomy weights
sit perfectly cruel waiting
on the dip apparatus her legs sky
then pendulum down in rapid succession
blond ponytail flips and bounces
she quickly whips through a set of sit-ups
wires from her ear buds switch across
her face finished she grabs her towel
dashes out the front door
I weakly smile at her leaving
shuffle to find a treadmill
a scooter screams by the window
golden curls the wind twists
under a bright green helmet
I climb onto the last available machine
a roar out of the parking lot
into the cool glint of sunrise
I see the sign placed over its display
SORRY - OUT OF ORDER
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