Every kidin the neighborhoodis outon the basketball courtIdyllic as helldribblinghanging in clustersunder after-school sunHow’s it decidedwho playsand who hangs backunlikely there’s a lotterydrawing straws seems datedWith a crackfrom the god of thundereveryone scattersleaving one scrappy teamwetshooting hoops
Flash 55 for Real Toads Day Number Three!
The scene seems idyllic, until one notices that not all the kids are given equal opportunity to take part. Maybe the old gods see it too.
ReplyDeleteThe title also leaves the possibilities for the metaphor of jumping through hoops...the things we must do to be included, on a team or otherwise. I like this, very much.
ReplyDeleteThe insidious intrusion of discrimination sabotages every idyllic scene. Somehow, the idea of an epilogue from Mother Nature - thunder - sorts out the winners and losers and just leaves the scraps. Very clever and creative.
ReplyDeleteVivid!
ReplyDeleteHa. Thor or Zeus says forget about it! Maybe Haephestus was around too--sorry for spelling==thanks, Marian. k.
ReplyDeleteI'm smiling, Marian. After pulling the straws if they'd paid attention they would know the gods were angry. Did you ever use kau cim sticks to see the Buddha's wishes? They do in China.
ReplyDelete..
never figured out basketball. my sport was frisbee...
ReplyDeleteI love the line, :Idyllic as hell"
ReplyDeleteThat just delights me.
wet ones are the real ballers!
ReplyDeleteThor didn't approve of play that was not fair. Judgement has a loud clap. Love it!
ReplyDeleteYou can practically smell the pavement, the sneakers, and the rain :)
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