Day Game

The lure of Cracker Jack prizes,
Fouled ball souvenirs, or an autograph
From Number 9...brings me back.

Crack – ball and bat
Smack – children popping beer cups
On the stadium floor,
Bringing me back to days
Of Charlie Hustle, Barry Bonds,
or Darryl Strawberry.

Those old round parks like
Riverfront or Three Rivers or
Someone’s backyard
With barn doors and clothes wires
and low-hanging apple trees,
waiting to catch a ball at the warning track.

Wiffle Ball baseball, children arguing
in the back yard. We wish we were
Casey at the bat and
For a little while, we are.