#volleyball
Give me those lights, give me their burn
Give me the squeak of my shoes on the court
Give me the nerves, give me the skill
Set me the ball and give me the ****
Give me the gym, fill it with screams
Let me forget I was ever beneath
Give me the talent, please let it bloom
Give me the skill to dominate the room
Give me all I need, please help me fly
And let my hands touch that far-away sky
And if my wings burn, set them aflame
Let me fall and hear them scream my name
Jul 25, 2025
Jul 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM UTC
The volleyball player is a greedy being
Constantly striving for more, never satisfied
We will melt our wax wings off
If it means we get a chance to fly
Falling from that burning sky, no one can reach us
When we’re up that high
and when the ocean floor touches our heads
We’re too far gone, not victors yet
A drowning, suffocating feeling, until you suddenly
Learn to breathe
And you will keep those wax wings on, even if
It means sinking to the deep
Died once, drowned twice, but got back up again
Sewing flight from broken skin
I will grow wings, no matter how
Take my dead skin, can’t reach me now
Jul 15, 2025
Jul 15, 2025 at 7:09 PM UTC
potions made under new moons
drink my thoughts at noon
sit with sadness in the blue lagoon
purify myself with a joint or two
****** the volleyball and scream a few
spike it, set it, pray for a breakthrough
bike to work, work to bike
fight the urge to be petty and spite
spike it, fight it, today is a breakthrough
peace is a breath away
death is commonplace
deep breaths today
stress is commonplace
Sep 1, 2023
Sep 1, 2023 at 9:37 AM UTC
Above the public pool
a volleyball so cool
stuck for years
in the rafters
Someone’s
breath of life
trapped in
it’s bladder
Evidence of
their lingering
presence, me
wondering
if they ever
pondered the
relevance of
the essence they
left behind?
Singsong thoughts
turn inward …
What about me?
In all the places
I’ve been,
pieces of me,
residual traces
of myself
left behind,
cast away!
Small links, unforgotten,
faithfully preserved
by old friends—
threads of connection
reinforced by timeless bonds—
who keep my words,
moves (dancing!), and
shared memories as
precious cargo,
cherished keepsakes,
A clear reminder that
I exist! I matter!
I’m something much more
than simply air I breathe
on an unremembered day …
Like that beautiful volleyball
in the rafters
W I L S O N ! ! !
Mark Toney © 2023
Aug 30, 2023
Aug 30, 2023 at 10:10 PM UTC
There is a sign on the door with her name on it
A red pillow pet in the form of a dog lays on her bed
Volleyball sit on the floor waiting to be played with
Orange curtains hang in front of her window
The pictures scattered on her wall say she she adores her friends
Books neatly placed on her shelf say she reads to much
Clean clothes in her closet waiting to be hung and the overflowing laundry basket say she's procrastinating
The drawings taped to her wall say she's an artist
Jan 8, 2021
Jan 8, 2021 at 3:59 PM UTC
A wall surrounds me that
acts like I am not a threat.
Acts like I am not an equal
I return to the corner of those
who are underestimated
Walls will not stop us even if
we are six-foot or five-foot two
We must break through.
The Iron Wall.
A wall seen as indestructible
A wall that mocks me
My hands spikes the ball only to
ricochet and slam
into the court beneath me
Run faster.
Jump higher.
Get there before they even realize.
A wall is only a problem until
you can see the other side
The view over the wall
is right before me
clear as day but
I know it’s only temporary
Temporary because there will
be more walls
Walls that I will have to take down
There will be other obstacles on
the other side that I will have to face
but breaking down the wall is
what I must face now
Sep 24, 2020
Sep 24, 2020 at 12:44 AM UTC
Shaking
Taking in breaths
Through the bottom of my feet
Aching
In all the places that I landed
Mind overtaken
By all the possibilities
Of things that could've come
Sep 27, 2019
Sep 27, 2019 at 12:59 AM UTC
You're the master
Not the disaster
Jump up, jump down through the net
You have your pupils get
To play good yet
I look at your cleats
You cast glances on the *****
I jump to spike fast
Your pure glances are cast
We have no time to rest
The marathon moves from past
Let's say love to the gym
Pleases us on the team
Aug 10, 2019
Aug 10, 2019 at 2:44 AM UTC
Eyes on the ball
Sweat falls to the ground
Be ready to move
In my own little world, there is no sound
But all around
are people
screaming
screeching
cheering
The adrenaline spikes through my blood
Stronger than it ever does
All of this
fuels me
energizes me
readies me
for the game
This is why I play
This is why I play
Meanwhile, all eyes are on the ball…
Dec 31, 2018
Dec 31, 2018 at 1:51 AM UTC
The screaming cheers
travel a distance far
in the divided hall
the yellows and blues
await the serving ball
an overhand strike
the ball speeds
across the mid-line
the yellows
dig, set & attack
the blues
fling & smack
fearless & skilled
the crowd hails
winning or defeat
is a victory for all
for the love
of volleyball
Apr 3, 2018
Apr 3, 2018 at 10:37 PM UTC
Most people get a thrill
Me, I just get a chill
Yes, it’s true, I used to love it
But bit by bit, I came to dread it
I didn’t really have a place
I often thought I was only taking up space
Still, there were many good days
And those were thanks to others’ praise
I’d do anything for those around me
Those people who brought some glee
I also had my good friend the “lemur”
She helped me to become a believer
Believe in the system they said
However, I think we were being misled
Instead, I embraced the presence of others
Especially that of the mothers
They would say let’s just chat
And forget all about that
I never knew what Saturday’s would bring about
However, I’d always have plenty of time to see it all play out
Sometimes I’d get a smile or a squeeze on the shoulder
One told the other, “Oh, it surely consoled her”
All in all, I’m glad I was there
Times were hard but without it, I’d be nowhere
Mar 30, 2018
Mar 30, 2018 at 3:52 PM UTC
Unhappiness and misery,
Loneliness, sorrow, and shame,
Who could know that all of this
Would come from a simple game?
My jersey rests upon my back,
#1 it shines with a gleam,
There are players all around,
But I don't feel like part of any team.
The sidelines are my painful home,
A reminder that im not good enough,
but I can't cry, not a single tear,
The eyes of friends have made me tough.
I watch them work at what they love,
The struggle and the fight,
While my mouth forces, smiling words,
Cheers that never seem right.
I wont complain, not anymore,
but I don't know what to do,
You just turn away from me,
Why can't I spill my heart to you?
My parents asked me if I played,
Eyes downcast, I still lie,
Because they wouldnt understand,
When they don't know how hard i try.
How come this doesn't hurt you?
You must be so much stronger,
To shrug it off, not seem to care,
Its hard to take it any longer.
I'm sorry if I feel useless,
but you bleed too, don't you see?
And if it doesn't bother you?
Well, im sorry that it's hurting me.
May 6, 2017
May 6, 2017 at 4:46 AM UTC
Dear Volleyball team,
I may seem snooty,
I may seem stuck up,
But in reality I am anxious,
and here's the reason why.
For my whole life I have been like this
afraid to speak my mind
Your stares don't help
the walls between us makes my anxiety grow more
I know I'm quiet
I know I'm shy
I can't help it
It's just how I was born
How my mind was made up
Oct 30, 2017
Oct 30, 2017 at 8:06 PM UTC
What did I do to get those stares?
Why do you guys look at like I'm a freak.
They whisper and stare at me when I Board the bus.
I'm just like you guys.
I came back for the Love of the Sport.
Not to be a Nuisance.
I came because I love the sport. I don't care if I don't play.
So Please don't give me the look why am I here?
and Ignore me like I'm not there.
I know I got cut from the team. I know I don't have my Serve.
I know I seem weak.
Like I can't do my Job.
But I'm trying my Hardest.
I want to please you guys.
I want you to see that I'm here to help.
The stares and whispers are breaking me.
I'm going to have a breakdown.
Because I know you guys don't want me there.
I know why Stick around somewhere where you aren't wanted?
I want to show them I care enough. That I am strong enough.
I Just wish that's how they saw me.
Sep 14, 2016
Sep 14, 2016 at 12:47 PM UTC
Ever since day 1 he was truly determined to play,
If I met him our friendship would never decay,
I once did volleyball myself whenI was younger,
Winning a single game won't satisfy his hunger,
I would run with him on that mountain every day,
I would see to it that he never feels grey,
I would want to be his greatest friend without drama,
But that spot has been taken by Kageyama,
They teach us how even enemies can become great allies,
Everyone of their games together are quite a surprise,
Mar 15, 2016
Mar 15, 2016 at 5:56 PM UTC
I serve
To my team
I catch
with my face
I pass
To the floor
I score
Into the net
And yet
I frown
By smiling
And win
By losing
A defeat
Can be a good victory
Its all about sportsmanship
Feb 25, 2015
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:23 AM UTC
Faded clothes,
Burnt face,
Sticky hair,
Filthy palms,
Bloodshot eyes,
Sweaty arms.
Dried throat,
Painful thighs,
Sore feet,
Divided crowd,
Pitiful players,
Swollen knuckles.
Torn hope,
Crumpled chance,
Sunned court,
Tumbling scores,
Coughing points,
Silver lining.
Feb 20, 2015
Feb 20, 2015 at 8:58 AM UTC