Swish

2024 5th & 6th Grade Poetry Winner

screech.
dribble.
dribble.
blood pounding in my ears
swish.
panting.
panting.

            back
coach yells.
a whistle blows
i hear the 
p i t t e r   p a t t e r
of feet
but everything
seems so far 
A
          W
                     A
                               Y

it's the other team’s ball.
p i t t e r   p a t t e r
p i t t e r   p a t t e r
swish.

the crowd goes wild.

our ball again.
adrenaline
surges through
me
every fingertip
filled with this energy from my core. 
this energy that
fills me
is channeled into the ball.
my ball.

suddenly
a player blocks me.

i cry out for 
h e l p

12! 
i call
12!
she whips around
and nods.
i focus. 
throw the ball
a perfect pass
lands right in 
her hands. 

i watch her 
           s p a c e 
her feet.

                                     dribble.
                                     dribble.

the crowd collectively holds their breath
as the ball leaves 
my teammates hands 
i hold my breath with them.
the ball
hits the backboard. 
clunk.
goes right in the net.

cheers erupt from the crowd. 
i let out my breath.
high five her.

visitor’s ball.
run.
pitter patter. 

play defense.
you must play defense. 

ignore 
the ticking of the clock
the watching of the scouts
the screaming of the coaches
the dripping of the sweat
just breath.

shot clock starts.
20…
19…
18…
shoot it!
an enemy player screams.
shoot it! 

i put my hands up high.
just like my dad taught me 
when i was little.

keep them high, and no one will be able to see.
now he is not here to teach me. 
he has made me what i am
all my skill learned
from him.

and he lives on in me
every time i step onto the court.
every layup
every three-pointer
every free throw.
and when 
i get fouled
or miss
i can feel him
and he says 
don’t worry. 

breath in
breathe out.

they shoot.
they make.

we get the rebound.

and i hear a yell
it’s my coach.
ten seconds!!

i glance at the score.

we’re down by two.

i could shoot a layup
but then we’d tie
and go into overtime.

i look around.
everyone is dripping with sweat, exhausted. 
we won’t make it.

it needs to be a three pointer. 

i don’t have time to go up any further on the court.

3…
i take a breath, and squat into position.
2…
the ball leaves my hands.
1…
swish.