after Thanksgiving

 

 

Seventeen years of baseball seasons missed—

How else to measure Coach Dad’s demise?

And tonight, all snugly retired, in comfort

That was at least part his doing,

Feeling calm after a thankful Thanksgiving,

I order my granddaughter her first ball glove.

Not the Dadly tradition sizing of the leather

At the downtown Sears Roebuck,

Or later at the Hickory Sporting Goods Store,

So excited that you wear it on your hand

Right out of the store.

A process on a computer

I could never explain

The way he explained the game

One batting practice pitch,

One infield grounder at a time.

Field of dreams, field of dreams.