Human Highlight - an Ode to Dominique Wilkins - The First Slam Dunk Contest

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan

Human Highlight: an Ode to Dominique Wilkins presents lyrical reflections on identity, names, and memory through the lens of basketball greatness. The text foregrounds athletes as human “highlights,” linking personal bodies in labor, hope, and the act of replaying film. It centers the first slam dunk contest in Colorado, where altitude, noise, and improvisation shape the experience. Dominique’s meaning “Of the Lord” is woven into a celebration of voices, faith, and cultural presence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Human Highlight

an Ode to Dominique Wilkins

The First Slam Dunk Contest

HanKSHUMAN HGHLIGHTAn Ode to Dominique WilkinsPS3607.0592262018YACOLL Goodwin &Kevin Coval # Human Highlight —7 Human Highlight an Ode to Dominique Wilkins by ldris Goodwin &Kevin Coval Haymarket BooksChicago,Illnois ◎2018 Idris Goodwin and Kevin Coval Published in 2018 byHaymarket BooksP.O.Box 180165Chicago,IL60618www.haymarketbooks.org ISBN:978-1-60846-984-0 Trade distribution: In the US,Consortium Book Sales and Distribution,www.cbsd. com In Canada,Publishers Group Canada,www.pgcbooks.ca In the UK,Turnaround Publisher Services,www.turnaround-uk. com All other countries,Ingram Publisher Services International,IPS_Intlsales@ingramcontent.com This book was published with the generous support of LannanFoundation and Wallace Action Fund. Cover art by Kamari Robertson. 10987654321 human highlight film what is the electric that awakens us human?all-of-a-sudden actors in a filmwe didn't write.the sky,an aspiration,a light high over the fields we work.our bodies humanin labor.to continue,we need a highlight,a warm memory none can touch,a film of the day.the way she bites her lip,a filmon loop,a lone highlightwe cradle to keep ourselves human, sane.the dream to fly is human.earth locked,we imagine what's high.light from the sun,a guide,a residue.a film we replay,endless sportscenter highlights.a glimpse at the body free &more human,a hope of our own boundlessness.the film is receipt.King was human Hank Aaron too.the city needs heroes,highlightsin a dark history.study the game film: we are light,not deities on high.the film a dark shield,a record.processor of sunlight.the reel:we record everything.we are human,highlights. Of the Lord Dominique mean “Of the Lord”Latin rooted,FrenchBlack like Haiti We like our names withPeaks,slopes,and vowels We like our names to be ariel And aural,throat and teeth and tongueOur names gotta be songs Serena Beyoncé Kobe Kareem LebronAbdul Kyrie Toussaint AndreKanye Rahasan Names that melt résumésDraymond DeAndre Desiree Names that make Black conservativesTurtle shell into shameShanice Latice Lashawna Latoya Kimani Names that disrupt the roll call Marshawn Aaliyah Malik Layla Idris Like names in holy books Names that point to the world's faithsCoalesced here on this stolen continent The whole lexiconThe field,court,globePalmed but not dominated Give us Onomatopoeia namesNames with napsNames that's laidThat give shadeNames that glideLike Clyde That fly like MJ sliding over the stars on Motown 25Names with wings of predator birdsNames Like Dominique 4 # The First Slam Dunk Contest Was held in Colorado Olympians learn to breathe hereThe altitude high like the air forceAnd the God fearing thousands Here where air thinSky blue smeared whiteand black noisebarely tolerated So it's fitting The dunk being what it isImprovisation on a tightropeso thin barely visible The ground uneven here whereglares are not knives but worse Where conversations veer on blacktopsMorph racial within minutes Here where I improvisecontort,slide,make it in by hell's height mere millimeters,as I consider the velocity,powerconsider the impact And try to do it all with flairWith eleganceWith poiseBut enough grit to be memorable

FAQs

What is Human Highlight written about?

It is an ode that blends reflection on names, identity, and memory with basketball imagery, treating athletes as human “highlights.”

What does “Dominique” mean in the text?

The text states Dominique means “Of the Lord,” highlighting its Latin roots and associations with French and Black heritage.

Where and when is the first slam dunk contest set?

It is described as being held in Colorado, emphasizing the altitude, the thin air, and the contest’s improvisational challenge.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan