With Opening Day
Come the sound of bats
Of balls
The smell of leather
Of newly hewn grass
The sun on the back
Of dusty winds
The imagination moves
Of possibilities
Of your team doing best
Of being on top
Of leading the way
With Opening Day
Babe in front of his locker, says
“Hi kid,”
To the Babe, everyone is kid
With Opening Day
Come my self-declared holiday
No longer do I wait for Opening Day
Pronounced
National Holiday
It is It is mine It will always be
Isn't that the day when children get sick?
Can't go to school?
When parents realize how serious this ailment is?
Isn't that the day when the mind can't concentrate?
Loses its power to steady?
The day the mind wanders hither and yon?
Floating
Roaming
Moving
Shifting
With Opening Day
The watch consulted
The mind in the park
Number 3 steps out of the dugout
Forty thousand cheers
Rising
Undulating
With Opening Day
Players pick up feel
Scratchy new uniforms
The stomach jumps
Patters
Meeting with the watch
Train leaves one hour
What to do?
Such immense expanse of time?
Players pulling up their trousers now
Ready to step into shining black shoes
A gleaming pearl in the starter’s shoe
What are the umps doing now?
This moment?
Probably not at the park
Sure they are
Where else to be?
Not having a leisurely meal
Not now
Into the pockets
Yep the tickets
Sit down stand up
Down at the watch
Up to the window the sky
Bright white sphere in ethereal blue
The wind in the trees is light
An outfielder glides under a ball
Will there be any spectacular plays today?
The shoulders rise
The blood pumps thump thump
The watch
Still to wait
Are they throwing balls around now?
Did Babe get butterflies on Opening Day?
Such ritual
Opening Day
A National Holiday
We must make it so
“Welcome to Opening Day, kid.”
White sparkling on emerald green
An umbrella of cobalt blue
**********************************************************************************
Babe Ruth during fireworks display at The Ballpark at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland.
No comments:
Post a Comment