NPM 2017 Day Three: Basketball - "Fast Break" by Edward Hirsch

My book spine poem for NPM 2017:

She walks in beauty

A jar of tiny stars

Awakening the heart

Open the door

House of light 

Pass the poetry, please!

In honor of tonight's NCAA championship game between Gonzaga and North Carolina, I'm sharing a favorite poem, "Fast Break."  It was introduced to me by the Poetry 180 project.  Just like a fast break in basketball, this poem is one long sentence.  It's one my middle schoolers always enjoyed.  The poem opens with these words: 

"A hook shot kisses the rim and 
hangs there, helplessly, but doesn't drop, 

You can hear the poet, Edward Hirsch, read the poem here .  We were acquainted briefly with him, his wife Janet, and son Gabriel when they lived at the end of our block for a short time after he came to Houston to teach at the University of Houston.