Playing Softball

Playing Softball
By Larry Linville

The one-room school where I began
Was like those your parents talked about.
I had to walk two miles -- Uphill both ways
Barefoot and in the snow – no doubt.
You’ve heard of them?

That’s where I learned to play softball.
“Work-up” it was called.
Every grade got to play and I was in the first
Those eighth grader were pretty good
But I seemed to be getting worse.

You started in the outfield
With each out you move up one place.
After only three quick outs
You were at third base.

Each infield position from third to first
Then catcher – then you’d pitch
Next put your glove aside
And you batted -- for a switch

You batted while you were getting hits.
But when you made an out,
It was back into the outfield
To follow that same old route.

I didn’t get to bat it seems
Pitching became a rut
When I threw that ball to home
A line drive hit my gut.

With the greatest of disappoinment
I crawled off to the side
And I struggled for another breath.
My batting was denied.

© Copyright 2007 Larry Linville (UN: larrylinville at Writing.Com).
All rights reserved. Larry Linville has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.