Exploring Poetry about Sports

Unit Overview

In this unit, you will read the two poems about Sports: "Makin' Jump Shots" by Michael S. Harper and "Pitcher" by Robert Francis.

Objectives:

1. Make predictions based on a poem's title, the poet's biography, and an image associated with the poem

2. Read and listen to three poems about sports

3. Identify key images, details, and themes

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Section A: "Makin’ Jump Shots” by Michael S. Harper

About the Poet

Michael Harper was born in Brooklyn, New York. He often writes about the struggle of modern-day African Americans for freedom and equal rights.

Can you predict what the poem will be about based on the title, poet’s biography and image associated with this poem?

Predictions are the connecting links between prior knowledge and new information in the poem. Besides using the title, biography, and images, you could use vocabulary and text organization to make a prediction. When you make a prediction, your understanding increases, and you are more interested in the reading.

Let’s Practice: Making a Prediction

Read, listen, and visualize the poem below.

As you are reading the poem is your prediction the same as it was earlier and what images did you see in your mind as you read the poem.

Makin’ Jump Shots

By Michael S. Harper

He waltzes into the lane

’cross the free-throw line,

fakes a drive, pivots,

floats from the asphalt turf

in an arc of black light,

and sinks two into the chains.

One on one he fakes

down the main, passes

into the free lane

and hits the chains.

A sniff in the fallen air—

he stuffs it through the chains

riding high:

“traveling” someone calls—

and he laughs, stepping

to a silent beat, gliding

as he sinks two into the chains.

Let’s Practice: Analyze

Key Vocabulary: Makin’ Jump Shots

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Section B: “Pitcher” by Robert Francis

About the poet

Robert Francis was born in Upland, Pennsylvania. The rhythms of his poems often match the athletic skill he is describing.

Can you predict what the poem will be about based on the title, poet’s biography and image associated with this poem?

Let’s Practice: Making Predictions

Read, listen and visualize the poem below.

As you are reading the poem is your prediction the same as it was earlier and what images did you see in your mind as you read the poem.

Pitcher
by Robert Francis

His art is eccentricity, his aim
How not to hit the mark he seems to aim at,

His passion how to avoid the obvious,
His technique how to vary the avoidance.

The others throw to be comprehended. He
Throws to be a moment misunderstood.

Yet not too much. Not errant, arrant, wild,
But every seeming aberration willed.

Not to, yet still, still to communicate
Making the batter understand too late.

Let’s Practice: Analyze

Key Vocabulary: Pitcher