Hold on to the ball

Hold on to the ball

by Joel Howard

End of the game fouls

"He did it! She did it!"

Every opponent knows

She can disqualify a team

If she claims foul

I dreamed last night of the Chicago Bulls

And Jordan's winning shot in the finals

Paxton passed to Cartright

Who passed to another

Who passed to Michael

Who made the goal

Sure the fans go wild

But so do the opponents

Three men I saw in the dream

Accusing another at the last

Seconds of the game

Please, we're already walking off court

The game is over

And honestly, the referee is the only one

With the power to pause the win

Pause the game

And I saw Jordan enter the locker

With the referees silent

No one had validified the accusation

There was no foul on the offense

It was a mere attempt 

To squelch 

To rob

What was rightfully gained

When he made the shot

I also had a vision yesterday of 

A judge's mallot

And the collective accusations

Of mankind

rising up to God

But then the mallet turns all of those

judgements

back on earth

So Jordan walked into the locker room

And I could feel his emotions

I could feel the sound of accusation

Bleed into nothing

As the losers lose

And the Bulls win

And he begins to think 

of victory his

So in my life, 

I believe God has given victory

But I will not be handed the victory easy

Not lightly

I must, instead fight to hold on to the ball