A Baseball Poem

Wannabe

I wanna be a baseball player, an All-Star

I wanna watch the ball in Fenway soar

I wanna hit a home-run, touch all the bases

Go home spin my girl fall asleep on the floor

I wanna fit my cap to the shape of a split finger fastball

Watch ‘m try’n catch onto the line between the brim

Of my hat and the ball’s lift. I wanna watch the greats

Slap the spit out of one or two, to keep their averages

I wanna play when the playing is tough, when coach

Hates us and the outfield isn’t communicating

I wanna play in away game sun spots so hot water

Just isn’t enough. I wanna play razor thin

I wanna play ball ‘cause the man says, play ball 

I wanna play ball and wanting to play ball is all

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I wrote this poem after talking with my veteran friends about why people don’t join the military, why I didn’t. My answer didn’t feel complete. I was athletic enough to at least try. I was smart enough to be effective at something. I guess I was turned to spirit and a different way of fighting back against pain and evil in the world.