Physical and mental competition
Blocking shots, boxing out, sliding
Shooting, passing, picking and rolling
Passion, heart, courage and class
Competition halts, two knees clash
On the ground, mind racing
No breath to spare to answer the coach who was pacing 
The bench cleared
Teammates sat on the floor and stared
Ice was found
But no trainer was around
Eight minutes remaining 
Sobs being contained
Movement sent sharp pains through the knee
Pain constrained the knee but no swelling could be seen
Shocked, confused, afraid of the pain.
The Emergency Room…
Over five hours of waiting with the feeling of gloom
In four different waiting rooms with the pain worsening 
Uncomfortable, nerve-racking, annoyed and cursing
On a stretcher in a hallway with others
A hand moves the knee one way then another
Extreme sharp pains
No tear, no fracture or broken bones, but a sprain
A massive blue brace wrapped with Velcro to lock the knee with no key
Lessons with crutches were given by someone with two good knees
Midnight, riding home on Route 2, we go home from the long night and day,
My mother turns to me to say
It’s December 13^th 
Happy Sweet Sixteen!