– For Shelley Puhak
Who were they?
Before they were the Orioles they were the St. Louis Browns,
pathetic cellar-dwellers and, like the Yankees, unimaginable.
Why that?
One can neither imagine the joy of
heaven nor the misery of hell.
St. Paul?
Correct.
And recently?
Once as great as the Yanks the O’s
have become oiseaux tristes.
As bad as the Browns?
No.
But bad.
Yes.
What should we do?
Don’t cry, don’t cry.
Is it possible to regain past glories?
Yes.
Only one Troy once?
Not the case here.
You are not dystopic or depressed?
No.
There’s hope?
Yes, hope is cheap in baseball.
As in life.
As in life.
But it’s hope nonetheless.
Yes.