It’s about                    Ball fits

the ball,                      mitt, but

the bat,                       not all                 

and the mitt.             the time.

Ball hits                      Sometimes

bat, or it                     ball gets hit

hits mitt.                    (pow) when bat

Bat doesn’t                meets it,

hit ball,                       and sails

bat meets it.              to a place

Ball bounces             where mitt

off bat, flies               has to quit

air, or thuds              in disgrace.

ground (dud)            That’s about

or it                             the bases

fits mitt.                     loaded,

                                     about 40,000

Bat waits                    fans exploded.

for ball

to mate.                     It’s about

Ball hates                  the ball,

to take bat’s              the bat,

bait. Ball                    the mitt,

flirts, bat’s                 the bases

late, don’t                   and the fans.

keep the date.           It’s done

Ball goes in                on a diamond,

(thwack) to mitt,      and for fun.

and goes out              It’s about

(thwack) back           home, and it’s

to mitt.                       about run.

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Copyright Credit: May Swenson, “An Analysis of Baseball” from May Swenson: Collected Poems (Library of America, 2013). Used with the permission of the Literary Estate of May Swenson.