"Court of Broken Dreams"

The night is dim.
The moon is out.
He touches the rim
and his opponents pout.

Two more for the team
One minute to go,
This is his dream
He must make the final free throw.

The sweat drips across his furrowed brow.
He shoots.
He misses.
What happens now?


My first poem this year. OUCH!

"A Three Point Shot from Andromeda"

Rain rusted orange
ring of saturn
in urban orbit
over an outdoor gym

nighttime jumpers
pull up to the hoop
dance on the rim
bolted against a metal backboard sky
riddled with ninety nine thousand
BB sized holes
compressing fifth floor duplex
kitchen light
into a galaxy
of 50 watt schoolyard stars

supra flex intense constellations
handcheck
rotate on defense
double down
tryin to guard
spinning playground
planetarium delirium
of black gods flyin
on neighborhood rep
shake n bake
pump fake
jab step
past orion
walk on air
and burst a reverse
on the stellar bear


- Paul Beatty

I like basketball. I like this poem. This poem is about basketball, therefore I like it. I also like the imagination and creativity of reaching into the stars for something you want. I mean, it doesn't get much cooler than intergalactic space dudes playing basketball.
It's also fun to see how someone can take something so ordinary and turn it into something "out of this world."

"Grin"

If you're up against a bruiser and you're getting knocked about --

Grin.

If you're feeling pretty groggy, and you're licked beyond a doubt --

Grin.

Don't let him see you're funking, let him know with every clout, Though your face is battered to a pulp, your blooming heart is stout; Just stand upon your pins until the beggar knocks you out --

And grin.

This life's a bally battle, and the same advice holds true

Of grin.

If you're up against it badly, then it's only one on you,

So grin.

If the future's black as thunder, don't let people see you're blue; Just cultivate a cast-iron smile of joy the whole day through; If they call you "Little Sunshine", wish that THEY'D no troubles, too --

You may -- grin.

Rise up in the morning with the will that, smooth or rough,

You'll grin.

Sink to sleep at midnight, and although you're feeling tough,

Yet grin.

There's nothing gained by whining, and you're not that kind of stuff; You're a fighter from away back, and you WON'T take a rebuff; Your trouble is that you don't know when you have had enough --

Don't give in.

If Fate should down you, just get up and take another cuff; You may bank on it that there is no philosophy like bluff,

And grin.


Robert W. Service


I really like this poem because often days it is hard to get up, but you have to do it anyway and you might as well grin and bear it.

"Election Time"

Names will change
faces will change
but not much else
the President will still be white
and male
and wasps
still speak with forked tongue
still wear red, white and blue underwear
still sleep on white sheets
in a white house
still surround himself with white men
still believe that white is the best thing to be
still read all white newspapers
that only talk about Blacks in connection with crime
still fly in white Air Force One
still worship a white Jesus
still pray to a white God
still go on vacation
where white people lie on white sand beaches
still white out his mistakes
still issue white papers
still throw out little white balls
on opening day
still uphold the laws of dead white men
still dream about big white monuments
and big white memorials
ain’t nothin’ changed
ain’t nothin’ changed at all

Lamont B. Steptoe 1994


I like this poem because it shows that people can change. Go Obama!

Writing History

Well, there are a couple reasons as to why I am taking this class. First, I took this class because no other classes would fit into my schedule. Another reason is that I just love to write. People see me as a quiet person, so it's just easier for me to write things than to say them. What people probably don't know about me is my sense of humor. I'm hilarious. Anyway, through my writing I like to convey who I am, and who I am is funny.
I've written various short stories and poems throughout the years.... Nothing too interesting. Actually I learned when I was rather young that I liked to write.
What do I hope to learn? Hmm...that's a hard question. I guess I would like to learn everything that I can. My brain could use some straining. Like now. See, it's already working.
I hope that this post gets me an A++

Riddle

I am funny and outspoken.
I wonder why people don't laugh at my jokes.
I hear troll doll jingles.
I see the news.
I want to know more about current events.
I am an idiot and I'm your boyfriend.
I pretend that I am Conan O'Brian.
I feel silly.
I touch coffee cups.
I worry about the weekend updates.
I cry about not having a blue troll doll.
I am mischievous and malleable.
I understand that I am the funniest man alive.
I say that I can't play basketball.
I dream of owning a troll doll.
I try to make people laugh.
I hope to be like Conan O'Brian.

My Life

Yay for blogging! Finally, some of my own thoughts written down :)