Hoops

A dull whack
silenced their trash, halted
the squeaky stutter steps.

The man fell
like a wobbly steer.
The other stood over him
machete in hand
until the last curse
spewed from his mouth.

The crowd watching
dispersed like vultures 
from road kill,
when the woman fell
to her knees 
and scooped his head.
She howled 
at the blood
curling toward the curb.

Twirling the basketball,
the teen wondered 
if this guy
would get up.

Fingering his chain,
another player noticed
her chest, tagged red.

The cops’ll come,
someone finally said,
and the ball found the cement,
the bouncing again as steady
as a heartbeat.