The new couch came in time for the play-offs
A modern sectional that took 8 excruciating months to select and order, then finance and deliver
Over-analyzed for design, comfort, size
Maximum utility for watching
The look-life, the after-life

I viewed ~82 games on the last model, in its final year
Beaten to death by an ever-present dog sat perched atop each mangled cushion
In equally vigilant and lazy hours
Smells and stains compounded for over a decade
(I looked it up at least 5 times—the average couch lasts 7 years)
We outperformed

You’re sprawled in the post-season late-night blue-light
Nothing exciting on
Not going anywhere, on that new couch
Dishes waiting
Dreams sunk into velvet folds
I bustle around, make shallow mental notes on how to blame middle-age on a piece of furniture
Then plunk down next to you
And watch some highlights

***

Lizette G. Jones is a sports fanatic and creative based in upstate NY. Her poetry has appeared in Blueline and other literary magazines, most recently in Boreal Zine and Paper Moon. This basketball post-season has been harder than anticipated. Her writing can be found on substack at @gamespeopleplay.