BALL

The discolored worn leather makes

for a better story. Cutting my hands

and diving for you on the hot asphalt made

my therapy at first appear dangerous,

but nothing else matters when it is

me and you. Timeouts rarely helped,

because time in this game counts

and sometimes runs out when

when the ball drops. The clock is watched

and clicks slower when I have

you in-between my dedicated hands.

Escaping to the hardwood with you

to the dust-filled court made my

problems seem miniscule. The pressurized

leather circle of hope eliminates stress

and shoots any doubt down through

a safety net weaved together by

individual strands working as a team.

Across the floor I cannot see anyone

and the path is clear, can I trust

my team mate to perform under stress?

The question is important because

someone can take you to the top

and others will make you quit

and miss. You give and receive attention,

but it betters me in the end. You provide

answers to questions that confuse me.

On Sundays, or on vacation miles away,

I find your home, bring your circular body

and forget the reasons that brought me there.

I pull the trigger and burn the nylon,

glow in the dark or chained, You have the

scent of waxed wood and years of history

that was built by people in situations

only you’re familiar with. The scar on

my left eyebrow is proof of how much

of an impact you left on me.

Dreaming I was on the team that treated

you the best. You wanted me when others didn’t

and that is why I continue to use you.

You have brought many friendships

and a valid reason to ditch

a Math or Science class early. Legends

once used you as a tool to make it out,

make it in, or be someone in the world.

And when I think about our relationship,

all I can do is smile because of the long walks,

brisk jogs, and exhausting sprints we did.

I place you in my hands and close my eyes,

say a few words before I throw you towards

the back of the iron, putting it all at the line.

And when I hold my hand high and

my breath long, I know I won because I

as I took a shot, I let go.