pass shout scream cry set hit
balls bounce across the floor
hit set cry scream shout pass
whistles blow loudly enough

to kill a cow
call the ball set it now, no pass
it back here you've done enough
already

the world is known by now
every rule's been trespassed
and broken
not by you – you need to pass

through territory
the others already have
one step behind, you struggle
to catch up

the coaches tell you to work at
your own pace but you know
that'll never work for the other students
slip slide spike slam!

if only it were so easy to get the ball across
girls in tight shorts, low-cut tops
for goodness sakes it's a sport not a
fashion show if only they could realize that –

you think they would –
you stand out like the hay bale
in a stack of needles
like the computer

in amongst the record players
like the like the like the
you