Today is Opening Day

and every ballclub’s home field is a field
of dreams, every clubhouse is full of promise.
Every team has a veteran back for a last season;
every team has a rookie prospect who could be
the answer to what’s been missing. Every team hopes.

Today is Opening Day
and there’s no talk of scandals or steroids
or last season’s errors, balks and bloopers.
There’s no talk of contracts, lockouts or labor strikes.
For now, every team has dedicated fans who love
the team, and sing its praises, no matter what.

Today is Opening Day
and so many legends of the game are re-invoked –
Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams,
Bob Feller, Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax,
Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial and Hank Aaron,
Jackie Robinson, Brooks Robinson, and Frank Robinson.

Today is Opening Day
and we remember those
we lost too soon like Roberto Clemente
and those we’ve lost since the end
of last season after meteoric lives cut short
or after long productive lives in or outside of baseball.

Today is Opening Day
and everything is perfect –
the manicured field, the combed base paths,
the sharp chalk lines and batter’s boxes. Announcers banter
and sports writers lean toward laptops. In the stands fans look on,
and the beers are ice cold, peanuts roasted, the hot dogs piping hot.

Today is Opening Day
and the Head Umpire has the managers’ lineups.
Someone – it doesn’t matter who – sings the National
Anthem. The home team has taken the field
and someone – it doesn’t matter who –
throws out the first pitch.

Today is Opening Day.

The Umpire flips down his mask and shouts, “Play Ball!”

Andrew Shattuck McBride
NaPoWriMo
April 6, 2012