Sports & Recreation

Sacramento Monarchs center and team co-captain,
www.sacramentomonarchs.com.

Pantoum For Yolanda Griffith

Naismith* never imagined anything like this.
She twists and turns, elbows swinging dark katana,
Cutting a path to the basket through the defenders.
Long, lean arms swat a jump shot from its arc.

She twists and turns, elbows swinging dark katana,
Or knocking a pass loose from its intended mark.
Long, lean arms swat a jump shot from its arc.
Opponents fear her hip-slung grace, her game face.

Or knocking a pass loose from its intended mark,
As if this game were easy and anyone could do it.
Opponents fear her hip-slung grace, her game face,
And then—that full-out grin, that natural laugh

As if this game were easy and anyone could do it!
It’s more than iced knees, medals, rings and laurels—
And then—that full-out grin, that natural laugh;
Don’t doubt the power of a woman on a mission.

It’s more than iced knees, medals, rings and laurels
Cutting a path to the basket through the defenders.
Don’t doubt the power of a woman on a mission.
Naismith never imagined anything like this.

—Kel Munger

*James Naismith invented basketball

Sports & Recreation
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