Baseball Poem

Play at the Plate

From the book

"That Sweet Diamond"

by Paul B. Janeczko, Carole Katchen (Illustrator)

Some 

watch the ball 

short hop the wall and 

the right fielder-who 

can't pick it up fast enough - 

finally snatch it 

sling it 

to the impatient cut-off man, 

who throws home 

almost before he turns. 

Some 

watch the runner 

barely 

toe the inside corner of third, 

eyes on 

the coach's windmill arm 

signaling haste. 

All 

watch the meeting place: 

the catcher begging for the ball 

so he can sweep the tag 

at the runner beginning 

his slide 

before the umpire, 

holding his mask 

behind his back 

as casually as a satin heart 

of valentine candy, 

signals the meeting over, 

the runner safe.