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Fast Break

Zoom in on the rush of a fast break in Edward Hirsch’s ode to basketball, with the poet, NBA players Shaquille O’Neal, Pau Gasol, and Shane Battier, and a team of pick-up players.

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Read the Poem

Fast Break

A hook shot kisses the rim and
hangs there, helplessly, but doesn’t drop,

and for once our gangly starting center
boxes out his man and times his jump

perfectly, gathering the orange leather
from the air like a cherished possession

Read the full poem