Poetry Friday

I am in Wichita for a basketball tournament this weekend. Shortly after I adopted the boys, we went to register for basketball. At registration, we ran into K's football coach. He said he had a basketball team, and invited K to play with him. Coach Lance is an amazing man. The boys are now in eighth grade, and over half of this little neighborhood team has been together since first grade, the newest member joined three years ago. Because of Lance's coaching, they are ranked #1 in the state of Colorado. Every year, we travel to two or three out-of-state tournaments- where we usually play elite/club teams, where parents pay tons of money, or where all of the best players in a city are recruited to play on one team. Our boys don't win those tournaments, but they definitely show up.  The boys will all go to different high schools this fall, so this tournament, and one in Las Vegas next month, are kind of their last hurrah.  We will miss our Red Shield friends! This poem is for "ten souls that have played as one" and for the coach that is the heart of the team…

High School Glory (A Tribute to Basketball)

Derrick Lamar Wesley

the blood, the sweat, the tears

the laughter, cries, and cheers,

fast break, shake and bake,

pump fake, love and hate

five souls united as one

Read the rest of the poem here.

POETRY FRIDAY IS HERE.