for jo jo white

for jo jo white

A Poem by h d e rushin

jo jo white would come down the court dribbling.
little Black man with bow legs and rounded shoulders
with hair like donated, crushed glass. and
each time he would flick his wrist. 
It's funny how the mind always misses something
after watching so many three dimensional events
like blood on the shield of the gladiator or
what color shoes the thin model wore for her thigh-gap shoot. 
"it should be impossible" i'm telling my father
who hated the Celtics, "being able to throw a bouncing
rubber sphere through a gaping loop from 30 feet". but
there it was happening, over and over
like a river without a resting bank; without rivers without
fish to hold the mongrel sand grains down their throats.
"Cancer killed him at 71" the story read. I didn't want to
know what kind. cancer is one of those words
that is a folding of endings all alone. no medical dictionary could
spell out the numerology of it. no pill book
with those white lozenges stacked up by shapes walking
along the slumbering thorn chastening. no words
with "nol" as an ending, enough to quell the thirst of man
that shakes in the night waiting for god to return with a miracle. 
jo jo white would come up the court dribbling.
that's enough right there to keep you forever
remembering.

© 2018 h d e rushin


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Reviews

'With hair like donated crushed glass'
You certainly are blessed with the talent of words.

This poem is a really good tribute from your behalf.

WELL DONE

Posted 6 Years Ago


h d e rushin

6 Years Ago

I love your hair is this photo BlakPrince.....It has that JoJo White texture to it which means your .. read more
BlackPrince

6 Years Ago

'JoJo White texture'
I like that!
That's funny!
I can sense you have a good se.. read more
A remarkable tribute to an adored athlete. You paint with such vivid imagery in this poem, I could see him, especially the "dribbling" up the court. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

Posted 6 Years Ago


h d e rushin

6 Years Ago

thank you Robert ray for remembering a great player who died way before his time. I hadn't seen any .. read more
I confess, I don't know of jo jo White; but I do know we are the creators of both magic and mayhem; no other species does it better; or indeed, cares to.

'there was a time when team sports were without personalities.' Indeed, just as there was a time before $10,000 designer handbags.

Dogs only bark, whereas today's world is barking mad.

Beccy. :))

Posted 6 Years Ago


I remember Jo Jo White. I dislike him as a basketball player. I was a Detroit fan. He was talented and fun to watch play. One of the greats. Good words written for Jo Jo White. Thank you my friend for sharing the powerful and needed words.
Coyote

Posted 6 Years Ago


Nice tribute. I love how you captured the way time comes to a crawl as you watch that shot approaching the rim.

Posted 6 Years Ago


I keep going through friends lists counting the number no longer with us. I cant delete them. I hold their places as if they might come back. But the numbers are growing.

Posted 6 Years Ago


h d e rushin

6 Years Ago

I thought about that same thing the other day..Why writing poetry is important to immortality. John'.. read more
Emily B

6 Years Ago

We live on through our words and those who remember tgem.
(practically spews coffee as far as he could throw that basketball) yeas indeed the world has lost a phenomenal athlete, if we could compare poets and athletes you would be the JoJo white of the poetry world in my always too humble and oft meaningless opinion" still...I do rank heavily in the obnoxious arena no one can deny. Jo Jo was always a favorite of mine.

Posted 6 Years Ago


h d e rushin

6 Years Ago

I hated the Celtics but loved his play...is that possible? can you cheer for the individual and not .. read more
Corset

6 Years Ago

of course you can! I know what you mean, about those pistons, which is another reason I try not to w.. read more


Posted 6 Years Ago


i loved that Celtics team. Only time I liked pro-basketball was watching them. They played a real team game. With Russell and Havlecheck ----

great poem, dana...

Posted 6 Years Ago


h d e rushin

6 Years Ago

Jacob, you have to be an old warrior to know that the shield that keeps the enemy at bay, also displ.. read more
wow...never much of a sports person but your tribute is exquisite says i ... worht reading again simply for the pleasure of the words and similes ..especialy this:
"there it was happening, over and over
like a river without a resting bank; without rivers without
fish to hold the mongrel sand grains down their throats"
i felt enthralled reading it ...the magic of jo jo's gift ... mesmerizing fans ... i like this a lot .. a real gem h d!
E.

Posted 6 Years Ago


h d e rushin

6 Years Ago

thank you brother. Just remember that there was a time when team sports were without personalities. .. read more

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Added on January 17, 2018
Last Updated on January 17, 2018

Author

h d e rushin
h d e rushin

detroit, MI



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black american poet living in detroit. more..

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