THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT A PITCH

It comes out of
The palm, released
Precisely every time

Get a load of that
Heron winding it up
A long pause
A praying mantis strikes

How does a pitcher
Jump from stilts
And come out
Twisting and spitting
A fastball?

The shadow of his cap
Sliced down his face
His eyes were bullets
The ball committed
A murder

Eyes rolled back in consternation
The ball he has just pitched
Sails up beyond all reckoning
Beyond the bleachers
500 feet
The longest home run in history

I twirl the baseball
In my fist
Hide it in my glove
Before my face my ball
My love
My friend
My guide

Send a fastball
Low and outside
NO, not a change-up
NO, i can’t tell when it will get here
STRIKE!

I am a heater
My snake eye scorches
Across the plate
But jolt of all jolts
I am hit and soar
Back up
Above the field
A new me
Spewing joy and sorrow
Dualities sewn afar
I relax into the distant air