The essence of Action Poetry is speed, spontaneity and responsiveness to others in the room. Login or register to write a poem.
Schooling at 204 Center (Part 1)
by mickeyz
2010 February 28 16:35:46
Basketball has always been my favorite sport to play. I guess that came from living in an urban environment and not always having money. If you had anywhere from 2 to 10 guys, all you needed was one ball and at least one basket. It was a little more complicated in the winter. Fortunately, a local junior high, 204, had a night center where kids like me could play ball on cold nights...for free.
204 Center attracted a colorful array of characters. I lived within two blocks of "the projects," so the games were pretty ethnically mixed and often fascinating. There was one Latin guy who never came to play, just to hang with his crew. He showed me the machete he always carried with him in case of trouble. He kept down the leg of his pants and would spend all night walking with a funny limp.
I remember one night—after smoking far too much herb—we got into a half-court game with some guys from the projects. Things were confusing and seemed to be moving slower than usual, but my outside shot was on...and I found myself getting noticed by the older guys. I can still feel the pride I felt when they complimented me.
We haven't come far from our tribal roots.
Please log in or register to respond to this poem.