Fred Woods of Cambridge, Mass., and places farther west in America is a past contributor to this blog. He has a poem in issue #1 of The Lowell Review. A media producer, lawyer, sailor, sports fan, and veteran of the Paul Tsongas political campaigns, Fred is married to Nancy Bellows Woods, who worked for the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission and National Park Service in Boston.

Antetokounmpo (web photo courtesy of SI.com)

The Basketball Is Round

(NBA Playoffs 2021)

by Fred Woods

I find comfort knowing that

Steve Nash, a very great basketball player

now coaching the New York Nets

—purchased by a Taiwanese-

Canadian billionaire

from a Russian oligarch—

was born in South Africa and

plays pick-up soccer with

Thierry Henri

and Derrick Irving played basketball

from Boston University to Buleen’s Boomers

and his son Kyrie born in Australia

burns sage pregame to honor his

Lakota mother

and their great Greek antagonist

Antetokounmpo once sold watches

on the streets of Athens to support

his Nigerian parents’ family

of large boys.

And all are honored by Chevrolet and

weathered men heaving hay bales

onto brawny trucks

where once roamed buffalo

Lakota Sioux and tumbleweed

blown half the world around from

Russia’s steppes.