by Benjamin White.
In the big inning,
The rally was without form
And the storm of fans said,
“Let there be runs!”
And we got a lead-off walk,
And that was a start
To part the waters drowning
Our run production
And so, the fans said,
“Let there be hits!”
But our batter had
A swing and a miss
On a hit-and-run
And the runner was thrown out
At second on a close play,
But the call went our way
And the umpire said he was safe,
And there was no
Video to overrule it
Because that process
Belongs to the heathens
Of some other religion
Where it’s okay
To sacrifice judgment
And integrity
For technology
And trashcans,
So, the fans said,
“Let’s celebrate
Fate being in our favor!
(This time)”
And began a chant
For the chance to generate
Some offense, and the next ball
Went over the fence
For a two-run homer
And a pitching change
Because pitchers are delicate creatures
And don’t understand
Their role to keep runs
Off the scoreboard,
And then we knew
The fans were speaking
For the Lord moving across
The face of the infield,
And the GM saw that it was good
And as he stood
In line
For a 25-dollar hot dog,
He knew all this team needed
Were some key trades
To be made so the turf
Could turn back to grass
Upon the earth
Nurtured by rain
And multimillion dollar
Sprinkler and drainage systems
And the next single
Was a seed
To keep it going,
Then a bunt away
From the defensive shift
Was enough to lift a page
From the Ol’ Time Gospel
Of hit-‘em-where-they-ain’t
Making it first and second
With no outs –
And another pitching change
Because, yeah – that was the problem –
While the launch-angle generation
That learned to play
For participation trophies
Has to admit
They really don’t
Understand the game
Or how to play it
In the name of Crosley, Fenway,
Comiskey, Wrigley, the Polo Grounds
Or Candlestick
As they are too quick to fall
Under corporate sponsorships
Glowing with a light
That creates no stars
Who will ever get close
To the records set
And unbroken
Except by steroids
And other bites
Of the scandal’s apple
That cheated the folks
Out of the chapel
Of paradise
And into an enhanced fabrication
Of the sport that can’t
Last without killing
The players bloated and wasted
On chemicals
Even as gamblers are allowed
To keep the flowers out of the hall
While they advertise sports betting
On hits and runs
And the over-under odds
During the playoffs
And the World Series
Without any concern
Or sense of hypocrisy,
And the fans cheered
As a double scored the guy
From second and from first
In just under 12 seconds
As speed kills,
And that – like arm strength
And a desire to go get the ball
In the corner with a little effort –
Can’t be taught
Or manufactured in a lab,
So, it was four runs
With no outs, and just
To prove the point,
A Sac-Fly deep enough
To move the runner
To third was caught
But the ball was thrown back in
With too-much-too-cool nonchalance
Representative of the times,
The runner didn’t stop,
But scored the fifth run
With one out because
Defense wins games
And without it, you lose
As everything is taken for granted
And makes the mental error
So the fans said
“We’ve got this!”
And a ground out
Didn’t raise any doubt
Or change the rally mood
When a two out walk
And another pitching change –
Because that is an absolute sin –
Made it an inning that would not end
When a second home run
Secured the lead
In the sixth –
But no Of the scandal’s apple
That cheated the folks
Out of the chapel
Of paradise
And into an enhanced fabrication
Of the sport that can’t
Last without killing
The players bloated and wasted
On chemicals
Even as gamblers are allowed
To keep the flowers out of the hall
While they advertise sports betting
On hits and runs
And the over-under odds
During the playoffs
And the World Series
Without any concern
Or sense of hypocrisy,
And the fans cheered
As a double scored the guy
From second and from first
In just under 12 seconds
As speed kills,
And that – like arm strength
And a desire to go get the ball
In the corner with a little effort –
Can’t be taught
Or manufactured in a lab,
So, it was four runs
With no outs, and just
To prove the point,
A Sac-Fly deep enough
To move the runner
To third was caught
But the ball was thrown back in
With too-much-too-cool nonchalance
Representative of the times,
The runner didn’t stop,
But scored the fifth run
With one out because
Defense wins games
And without it, you lose
As everything is taken for granted
And makes the mental error
So the fans said,one rested
In the seventh,
But continued to play
The way
It was meant
To be played,
And carried it out
Into the hands of the closer
To throw strikes
Like he’s paid to do
And pick up the save
In the bottom of the ninth
When not until
The last out was recorded
Did any player rest
As the fans
Were blessed –
And pleased.