The Crossover

Sundays After Church

When the prayers end

and the doors open

the Bells hit center stage

and the curtain opens up on

the afternoon pick-up game

in the gym

at the county recreation center.

The cast is full of regulars

and rookies

with cartoon names like

FlapJack,

Scoobs,

and Cookie.

The hip-hop soundtrack blasts.

The bass booms.

The crowd looms.

There’s music and mocking,

teasing nonstop, but

when the play begins

all the talk ceases.

Dad shovel-passes the ball to me.

I behind-the-back pass to JB,

who sinks a twenty-foot three.

See, this is how we act

Sundays after church.