This poem by one Tom Clark descended on me from the heavens, like an omen presented by some ancient Greek god or goddess. Well actually, I saw it on the sidebar of Tampa outfielder Fernando Perez’s recent essay for the Poetry Foundation. Here it is, a simple, pleasant poem for the inquisitive fan in us all:
Every day I peruse the box scores for hours
Sometimes I wonder why I do it
Since I am not going to take a test on it
And no one is going to give me moneyThe pleasure’s something like that of codes
Of deciphering an ancient alphabet say
So as brightly to picturize Eurydice
In the Elysian Fields on her perfect dayThe day she went 5 for 5 against Vic Raschi
So far, this is my favorite one you’ve posted. I feel like the first stanza every day. as I read Oakland-Kansas City, or Pittsburgh-Cincinnati box scores. Why do I do it. Then love, love, love the ending.