by Ron Whitehead

backyard full court

8 foot goal on one end

10 foot on the other

grass worn down to hard dirt

10 foot rim leans to the left

and is too high in the front

8 foot rim sags in front

and leans to the right

it’s time to order new nets

from the sears catalog

and we keep pumping air

into the bald basketball

but all we care about is the game

5 on 5 shirts and skins

24 by 2 points and 4 up to win

winning team stays in

keeps playing till the last glimmer

of sunlight is gone

backyard full court

10 foot shots on an 8 foot goal