Grapefruits & Brush-backs

Ron Tranquilla of Grass Valley sends us a baseball poem:


PASTIME
—Ron Tranquilla

We’re leading off see? the infield’s deserted,
the dirt raked smooth, the bases bright and empty,
the guy’s wild, couldn’t hit the side of a barn—
from the inside—the count’s 3-0, the first one
high and wide or down in the dirt, we’re taking it.
He throws the pitch and we take it.

Bottom of the fifth see? the bases are loaded,
the guy’s throwing grapefruits, big fat ones
right down the middle and the next one
we’re gonna take for a ride, take it to the upper deck,
take it over the centerfield wall, take it downtown.
He throws the pitch and we take it.

Holy hell! we can’t see, somebody turn on the lights,
we’re standing in shadow, tired to the bone,
the guy’s throwing brush-backs, the last one
aimed right at the old bean; what the hell’s he think
we’re going to just stand here and take it?
He throws the pitch and we take it.

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Thanks, Ron! Coinky-dentally, JoAnn Anglin of Sacramento sends us the following. It's not strictly poetry, but maybe you'd like to give it a shot:

One of the recent popular literary genres, adding to the traditions of poetry and novels, is Creative NonFiction. Usually this means a personal essay/story with a literary approach. Some reminiscences or even travel articles fall into this genre, but they strongly resist the sentimental. You will see CNF sometimes in the New Yorker and Harpers Magazine. And you hear it a lot on NPR.

For more info on Creative Nonfiction magazine, you can see their website at: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/ .


CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS: ANATOMY OF BASEBALL

We’re happy to announce that, in collaboration with Southern Methodist University Press’s new “Sport in American Life” series, Creative Nonfiction will publish a special issue of the journal called ANATOMY OF BASEBALL.

Submissions for this issue (scheduled for publication in Spring 2007) should focus on a specific aspect of the sport. Potential topics might include:

Positions--for example, playing shortstop or catcher
Equipment--the mitt, the bat, the ball, etc.
Rules--for example, the changing strike zone or the designated hitter

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Spring of 2007? Oy. We should live so long...

—Medusa