we grew up
poor with
three channels
on a tv
transitor radio
with Ernie Harwell
to paint
what we couldn’t see
I remember
wanting to be Lance Parrish
he was an ox
of a man
we didn’t have disposable money
to spend
on trivial things like
dentist appointments
and
baseball bats
but we had big oak
trees
and a chainsaw
and some sand paper
at our disposal
louisville slugger,
this was not
but it did me well
for a season on the
brink
of life in another town
of life in another house
of life in a whole different world
