a day to forget

for j.n.

a ballpark,
the first date of
what would be
(three years later)
the last broken engagement,

a homerun in a rookie's
first at bat,

his first, mine too

so I remember that day
fireworks, the chilled april crowd,
and a kid, just my age, trying
to make it in the show

a new love with a credential
and a need to impress, so I met
the baby-faced southerner,
during his hot homerun streak,
& more than a little 'rookie of the year' chatter

well, it's a long season--
first one game, then another,
and another,
no denying, his bat went cold

though everything he
did was the same,
the hits wouldn't come

his future faded,
I gave the ring back,
he was traded,
I lost track

slugging it out
in triple-A, a stint in japan,
a suspension for testing positive
late in a career,

my heart on the D.L.
a few more times,
waiting for the long-term contract

what must he think
of his fifteen minutes,
once media darling--espn highlight,
turned minor league journeyman
now off the roster

remembering what it meant
to tell a reporter
I'm seeing the ball well
the dream of every backyard all-star

and the odds of finding that sweet spot
twice in one lifetime