POCONO PARTNER
                                                                                                       
A duplicate partner
Who hopes I’ll soon learn
That penalties follow
A bid out of turn.

Her attitude ranks with 
The kings and the queens
For she long ago learned
What “tolerance” means.

Adores new conventions
But I don’t take bets
For each one I master
She promptly forgets.

No negative player
Her senses excel
She messes with Michaels
Key Card, and Brozel

Opponents turn tricky?
And reneged enough?
She’ll call the director
And challenge their bluff

She doesn’t scold much
When my vulnerable double
Boxes us into
A handful of trouble.

A tactical player
Who’s mastered finesse
But what system she’s using
I often must guess!

Her hair (like her bidding)
Exceedingly light
In fact, I’d declare it
Short suited and white

In any position
North, South, East or West
Her bold interference
Ranks up with the best

Convinced that some nibbling
Fits in well with bridge
You might find Swiss chocolates
 Arranged in her fridge

She jumps every chance 
To compete with a slam
Till my Yarborough dummy
Lands her in a jam

One unguarded moment
I heard her confess
She sometimes drops bridge
For some Internet chess

She listens to music
Whenever she can
And calculates counting
At home with Chopin

When hands become boring
And sequences flat
She might sneak away 
To play games with her cat.

If time should reshuffle
The hands in the deal
There’ll be no reverse of
The friendship I feel

Though she passes my club bid
Or trumps my good ace
Marietta will score
Up in gold master place.