Poem, 'Lady Liberty' Tina Charles

— -- espnW will publish a bi-weekly poem on Sundays.  This week, Parneshia Jones writes a poem celebrating WNBA star Tina Charles. 

Just call me "Miss Basketball".

Come to the center with me.

My half court equator will show you the world.

No borders or walls,

my cross over is translator,

my fade away -- ambassador.

My hesitation dribble isn't hesitation...

it's hunger.

Come to get fed.

Just call me "This is My House".

My game is universal -- all day,

base line,

free throw,

side eye and assist,

just call me "Nation" and

watch me rewrite a history.

Ask not what I can do for the game,

ask how I'm about to change it.

Don't look down,

my in and out is ghost.

Keep your eyes pointed to my ceiling,

and watch me paint the sky.

Parneshia Jones is the author of Vessel: Poems (Milkweed Editions). Jones has been honored with the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award, the Margaret Walker Short Story Award, and the Aquarius Press Legacy Award. Her work has also been anthologized in She Walks in Beauty: A Woman's Journey Through Poems, edited by Caroline Kennedy and The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, edited by Nikky Finney. A member of the Affrilachian Poets, she serves on the board of Cave Canem and Global Writes. She currently holds positions as Sales and Subsidiary Rights Manager and Poetry Editor at Northwestern University Press.