GABE: The Hooper [Poem]
Updated: Jan 7, 2021
Mamba-Inspired
(in my mind as a youth)
Basketball’s revolved,
and it evolved
into a passion,
A unique feeling inside,
I can’t describe
the satisfaction
more than just
the beauty of the game
from the beholder,
& more than just a system
you turn on
with a controller
from here, I’ll tell a story
new perspective
for those who know me,
& those who think you do
the truth’s
I was introduced
by Kobe
there was a dude named Meshach
he was something like a brother
met him 2007
4th till 9th grade,
We schooled each other
4th grade,
I knew nobody
big-head geek,
some like Steve Urkel
new dude,
at a new school
“uncool”
@ East Campus Circle
Where we’d play
basketball
an empty lot,
at school each day,
It wasn’t much but
grateful
for that court
this very day
then there came a day
we went outside
right after prayer
as kids, of course
we’d pick and choose
who’s which
basketball player
‘twas my first year out there
was slowly meshing with
the clique,
but knew inside my mind
which player I wanted
with my pick
I uttered out “D-Wade”,
(you know,
since my favorite number was 3)
plus, that’s the only player
I paid attention to on TV
my heart filled up with glee
it was short-lived,
unfortunately,
I thought that it was sweet
heard Meshach like
“Nahhh son, that’s me”
That claim, I would surrender
for a second, it was hectic
had finally left
alone
was sure
I’d get em with my next pick
I said
“I’ll take LeBron.”
Josh had popped off
like some confetti,
I let him get it 😒
besides, he had
the Cavs jersey already
A.I. went to Jaja
his short self making fun like "Haha"
#3 had fled from me
[again]
to that humanized
Chihuahua
Meshach then had told me
“Bro, you know we still have Kobe?”
I knew a lil’ bout
Fro-Be,
though I thought he
was a phony
“He might have them three trophies,
but ain’t really all that,
lowkey”
Meshach’s face had stiffened,
said
“😐 You’re Kobe
brah, you TRIPPIN!”
I knew no other players
so Kobe was
the decision,
I couldn’t be MJ
and I damn sure
wouldn't be
no Pippen
from that moment forward
we would watch
our players play,
tune in everyday &
try to imitate their game
in the following days
You’d see the -esque
in each of our games,
my shooting form?
horrid,
still hit
contested fade-aways
though, I knew of Fro-Be
I was hooked on
24,
his killer instinct, and
his go-to move
when he would score
fast forward months later,
someone from the church
surprised [us],
he popped open his trunk
& I couldn’t believe
what beheld my eyes
there laid a bucket of jerseys
by that time
[we]
deemed ourselves worthy,
worthy of beholding
our respective players’
jerseys
Josh had Bron’s already
Meshach got him a D-Wade
it’s crazy I recall this day
like it was yesterday
I had seen two Lakers,
my eyes
instantly lit up,
"if I got my hands on one"
I thought,
"I’d never
give it up"
but Jaja then would rush
to that man’s trunk
& grabbed the jersey
........ flaunting at the fact
his tiny self
could fit a jersey
he hollered out
“YaHooooo”
till Meshach heard
and he came through,
was minutes after school
& we were even
MORE excited to hoop
he saw the jersey name
& couldn’t shake
that number 8,
he looked in Jaja’s face
& told him
“Nah, that one’s for Gabe”
eversince that day,
I knew that Meshach
had my back,
you could say Jaja too
since he would
settle for
the Shaq 😂
it gave me brand new
meaning
felt like I had
grown new wings,
I’d then revisit
#8’s highlights
& definitely learned some things
a Kobe fan,
I claimed boldly
you can ask those
that been known me,
I still had liked D-Wade,
& Bron,
but Kobe,
I watched closely
they were my Top 3
homies,
no one else even came close,
remotely
& when Sir Kobe passed,
my heart, it cracked,
it hit the old me
Kobe'd
been my hero,
to a point,
reflected my ego,
had to calm down
like a free throw
Mamba Mentality for Life,
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