Or crust and sugar over—       like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags       like a heavy load.

Young girls are grazed, each block is like a mazeFull of black rats trapped, plus the Island is packedFrom what I hear in all the stories when my peoples come back, blackI'm living where the nights is jet-black

Life is parallel to Hell but I must maintainAnd be prosperous, though we live dangerous, cops could justArrest me, blaming us, we're held like hostages

and swiveling back to see an orange blur    floating perfectly through the net.

of a high, gliding dribble and a man    letting the play develop in front of him in slow motion, almost exactly like a coach’s drawing on the blackboard, both forwards racing down the court the way that forwards should, fanning out and filling the lanes in tandem, moving    together as brothers passing the ball

but losing his balance in the process,    inexplicably falling, hitting the floor with a wild, headlong motion for the game he loved like a country and swiveling back to see an orange blur    floating perfectly through the net.

perfectly, gathering the orange leather    from the air like a cherished possession

A hook shot kisses the rim and hangs there, helplessly, but doesn’t drop,

Under the wolves and coyotes of particular silences.

in the non-cheering dark,in the many many mornings-after;in the chalk and choke.

Overwhat wants to crumble you down, to sickenyou. I call for youcultivation of strength to heal and enhance

I call for youcultivation of victory Overlong blows that you want to give and blows you are going to get.

Nor tossed my shape in Eider Balls,Nor rolled on wheels of snow

I mention ‑ easy ‑ Here ‑Nor any Placard boast me ‑

I cannot dance opon my Toes ‑No Man instructed me ‑