Poetry: “Game Day”

Poem by Danielle Lawhead, 17
Colorado

Art by Nurul Huda, 14
Malaysia

Red and white flags align the sidewalk

It’s game day

Here comes the big yellow bus

Filled with the defending state champions

Glimpses by those in black and gold

Wondering who will be victorious today

Those Valley Vikings we meet again

The first encounter was 3 to 6

One inning cost us the game

A homerun I will never forget

A fresh start today

The same hot sun beating down

Red faces creating rosy cheeks

Sweat dripping down from foreheads

The meeting at the plate, then the shaking of the hands

Eaton takes the field.

Grabbing mitts, pitcher is warm, the throw down to second base

Batter up, called strike and then

The ball is caught at the left field fence

Next batter up, grounded out

And there she is walking up to the plate

The girl I’ve faced many times before

The homerun queen is up to bat

In the previous game she crushed the ball

High over the fence

But this time I will prevail

A swing and a miss, next comes a drop, a change-up, strike three

I sat her down

A feeling of pride swarmed throughout

Though we lost the game

I won the battle

Winning isn’t everything

It’s how you play the game