See that red-soaked ball overlooking the skyline of the greatest city on Earth?

The heart that pumps passion from the Bronx to Brooklyn, from Harlem to Manhattan and eventually, to Madison’s Garden, where bouquets of people with different lengths, hues, attitudes play to beat those whose jerseys don’t match.

Madison’s Garden, where competition blends into a giant pot of flowers,

Where Knicks and Wizards move the red splattered ball like a precious ballerina dancer: elegant, smooth, uniting the crowd in common feeling.

Anticipation.

And don’t forget the rusty rims in the concrete parks by the community playgrounds where children prance at day.

When the bright ball in the sky rests, the residents of basketball city come out to play.

Living above the rim is their swing.

The precious swish, their satisfaction of not being tagged “it”.

And for the man, the woman, the brave child staying out at night when everyone bounces and skids home to clean up their sweat and slumber.

The one who was that evening’s victim.

“it”.

He stays and guards the court after midnight, when the glowing yellow ball is living above the rim.

Dancing to the jazz: the combination of the bouncing ball off the concrete, off the rim, off the dusty backboard, and finally through the sweet net, that when struck the right way, sounds like sugar.

And we mustn’t forget the basketball city’s arteries-to-be.

Sitting in their father’s lap listening with sharp eagle eyes to the stars he would watch on TV.

The tales of Larry Bird’s sweet shot that found the net like a bloodhound going after a scent.

And Magic Johnson who saw the court as the vulture swoops for his prey.

And the child vows to be even better.

And purchases a red-splattered ball the next day.

He hears the jazz of sounds of the game and listens; just as the late night “it” does when possessing the court by himself.

He emulates the players his daddy told him about.

Jumping high as his little legs can endure, tongue out in pure passion, claiming to be just like Mike.

And the aorta of basketball city oscillates, from Bronx to Brooklyn, Harlem to Manhattan.