PERFECT

Yankee Stadium,
Fifth game, World Series,
October 8, 1956

Tall Don Larsen on the mound,
staring down at Yogi Berra’s sign,
left-handed Dale Mitchell at bat,
Babe Pinelli calling balls and strikes.

With no windup
Larsen turns and kicks and throws –
a camera clicks –

the pitcher in his follow-through,
the catcher, crouching, the ball in his mitt,
the batter looking back, his swing checked,
the umpire’s right fist held high.