folk-rock
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
"Ballpark Figures," by Hans Ostrom (baseball poem)
Pitcher:
He or she has just discovered the North Pole
and, behind the back, holds a snowball,
glowering down at the world.
Catcher:
The amalgam.
Body, a badger's.
Face, a prisoner's.
Legs, a knight's.
One arm, a deaf person's.
The other arm, a crab's.
Umpire:
An angry parent
yelling at the kids,
who just want to play.
Outfielders:
Three deer graze in a meadow.
A shot rings out.
They raise their heads.
They're on the move.
First Base:
A hometown kid.
Rarely leaves the house
but entertains a lot.
Dugout:
A rookery.
One bird leaves.
The others rearrange themselves.
Crowd:
Wildflowers on a terraced slope.
Blotches of paint.
A chorus of bees.
Third Base:
This one guards a thin white line.
An accountant.
Foul or fair. Profit or loss.
Second Base:
The bull charges.
The bullfighter whirls and leaps.
Shortstop:
Holds dual citizenship.
Travels a lot.
Rents, doesn't own.
Not a joiner.
Vendor:
An evangelist.
Base Coaches:
Performance artists,
gossips, and hired applauders.
Pitching Coach:
A lachrymose intermediary.
Managers:
When they arise from the basement,
it means trouble has come.
Adults forced to wear children's clothes.
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Friday, June 12, 2026
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Sunday, May 31, 2026
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