What My Father Left Behind

by William Eddins

Gravel spewed from the growling
sound of pistons pushing their limits.

In seconds the black sedan, tagged
PLAYBOY, vanished into the horizon.

I picked up the basketball he left me and tried
to remember his directions. Set your feet, bend

your knees and follow through with your
shot. I drew a breath and exhaled as it released;

arching in the air, sinking inside
the orange cylinder.

William Eddins was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. He currently lives in Greenville, where he is a graduate student at East Carolina University concentrating in Creative Writing.