In basketball, a player’s determination is shown on his face and through his movements. Foul Shot and The Base Stealer are two poems describing the movement and action in two different games. Foul Shot by Edwin A. Hoey is about basketball, while The Base Stealer by Robert Francis is about baseball. When these games are played, there is much anxiety and anticipation. In both poems, the author focuses on a quick and emotional moment in the game that is being played. In Foul Shot, Edwin A. Hoey uses different kinds of imagery to describe what happens during the final seconds of a game. In the first place, Hoey uses imagery to set the scene for the poem. He describes how everyone involved in the game, the crowd, the players, and the coaches, felt towards the end of the game. He writes,
“ two 60s stuck on the scoreboard and two seconds hanging on the clock, the solemn boy in the center of eyes.” Through these words, the reader could create a vibrant mental image of this game. Hoey states that these are the final moments of the game by using phrases such as
“ two 60s” and “ two seconds hanging on the clock.” This imagery shows the reader the crucial moments at the end of the game. In addition, Hoey also uses imagery to show the emotion of the player. He describes how the boy acts when he’s just about to shoot. By writing that the boy “ seeks out the line with his feet, soothes his hands along his uniform, gently drums the ball against the floor,” Hoey is telling the readers that the boy is very anxious, almost fidgeting because of his nervousness. During this time, the boy goes through an adrenaline rush. The reader senses that the boy goes through many emotions just before he shoots the ball. Finally, Hoey used imagery and a string of verbs to create a feeling of suspense for the reader. His use of these verbs makes the reader want to find out if the boy made the last shot. The poem reads, “ nudges it upward. The ball slides up and out,