In which the alien from "Alien" plays basketball

it strides onto the court. its mouths clash and drip

as its tail drags along the polished wooden floor.

the final boss of evolution. the perfect organism.

but a-tisket a-tasket can it make a basket? can it

dribble? can it dunk? can it sink a three? can it make a

free-throw when it gets caught traveling?

because it doesn’t know the rules. where it’s from

they don’t teach you how to dribble, dunk, or pass.

in space, no one can hear the net go swish-swish.

which raises questions. why is it on the court at all?

sure, it’s strong. sure, it’s fast. sure, it’s tall. but can it be

the perfect organism if it can’t play basketball?