{"sf1_id":1817952,"sf2_id":"XekL3jYm","title":"Bouncing Off The Target","author":"Apolarbear17","words":334,"posted_at":"2022-02-09T17:55:00.000Z","tags":["Abstract","Poetry","Target","archery"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1817952-bouncing-off-the-target","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/XekL3jYm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/f3/86/f3868503-f510-440e-ab2c-ba2c3d8d553e","description":"Just a kind of abstract poem about archery and trying to hit a tricky target. Originally written July 2020","content":"Bouncing off the Target\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;By: A.X. Bueno\n\nYou prepare to take the shot\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou focus your eyes as you put the nock on the bowstring and place the arrow\u0026nbsp;\n\nFrom there it's a simple matter of pulling back the string and letting it fly\n\nYou take a breath and let go\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt hits for a brief instance and then it bounces off\n\nYou watch it happen as it flies back and lands a few feet away\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou thought it would go in but the target was thicker than you thought\n\nThat thickness means that you're going to need a bit more force\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou pick up another arrow and get ready to take another shot\n\nThis is just a target it cannot be impenetrable it cannot\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou try to pull back the bowstring a little harder this time\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou hope for a successful hit but you only get another bounce\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou use the rest of your quiver of arrows but none can make the hit\u0026nbsp;\n\nThey do nothing but bounce off even though you see them hit\n\nThey leave small marks where they land even though they can't make it in\n\nA bunch of arrows sit under the target, shots that just weren't quite good enough\u0026nbsp;\n\nBut the fact they came close\u0026nbsp;\n\nThat they touched the target makes you continue to keep going\n\nYou keep shooting your arrows as what should have taken minutes takes over an hour\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou sink your time into getting this single arrow into the target\u0026nbsp;\n\nPicking up the arrows that bounce so you can make them fly all over again\n\nThen finally Thunk!\n\nIt hits with a soft thunk and you smile\n\nIt may not have hit the bullseye but you did it\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou got it in and hit one of the surrounding rings\n\nYou soak in success for a minute before picking up another arrow\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou know you can do it now so only the rest of them to go\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou prepare another shot and just let it flow\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n"}