The Crossover

Having a mother

is good when she rescues you

from free-throw attempt number thirty-six,

your arms as heavy as sea anchors.

But it can be bad

when your mother

is a principal at your school.

Bad in so many ways.

It’s always education

this and education that.

After a double-overtime

basketball game I only want

three things: food, bath, sleep.

The last thing I want is EDUCATION!

But, each night,

Mom makes us read.

Don’t know how he does it, but

JB listens to his iPod

at the same time,

so he doesn’t hear me

when I ask him

is Miss Sweet Tea his girlfriend.

He claims he’s listening to French classical,

that it helps him concentrate.

Yeah, right! Sounds more like

Jay-Z and Kanye

in Paris.

Which is why when Mom and Dad start arguing,

he doesn’t hear them, either.