GHOSTS OF BROOKLYN PAST

Hey, Peewee,
Hello, Duke,
Good to see you, Gil.
You’ve been away a long, long time,
but now it’s time to don your uniforms again,
and take your seats at the Barclay Center,
the new home of the Brooklyn Nets.
Campy, Robinson, I didn’t forget you guys.
You can join in on the 4th quarter chants of
“Brooklyn, Brooklyn.”
Better yet, move your ephemeral selves to mid-court,
and stand in the batter’s box pantheon
of my childhood heroes, past, present, and future.
Other witnesses will soon share in the celebration –
Whitman will write a poem, Mailer, a novel,
and fireworks will light up the Coney Island sky.
The sports emptiness of 55 years,
(when you guys left for the west coast,)
will be filled by raucous, cheering fans.
You can go home again, especially
if there is a bright, new reason
for exchanging cleats for sneakers.