Why I Don't Play Basketball Much

When you’re already a bad shot
and half the shots you do take are blocked
because you’re the height of a twelve-year-old
and pick-up games are much too competitive
and people start yelling and stop passing—
you eventually stop shooting
even open lay-ups,
you start to see scoring
as something other people do
and what you do is rebound, defense,
and all around hustle
and pretty soon other players
become condescending
and talk to you like you were twelve
and you stop playing basketball
because it’s for assholes and tall people
and you start writing poetry.