Sports

Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;

Baseball and Writing by Marianne Moore Fanaticism? No. Writing is exciting

Days of Me by Stuart Dischell When people say they miss me,

The First Olympic Ode [excerpt] by Pindar Chief is water of the elements

To An Athlete Dying Young by A. E. Housman The time you won your town the race

A Boy Juggling a Soccer Ball by Christopher Merrill after practice: right foot

Fishing on the Susquehanna in July by Billy Collins I have never been fishing on the Susquehanna

Séance at Tennis by Dana Goodyear I play with an old boyfriend, to tease you out

Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio by James Wright In the Shreve High football stadium,

The Trouble Ball [excerpt] by Martín Espada In 1941, my father saw his first big league ballgame at Ebbets Field

Night Baseball by Michael Blumenthal At night, when I go out to the field

After Skate by Carol Muske-Dukes He glides in on his single wing, after the signs go up. After