The Play at Home Plate

The man rounds third with two outs
in the penultimate inning, charging,
towards the plate like an angry territorial raccoon
guarding his home turf. Then the left fielder lasers
the ball at the plate where the catcher stands waiting,
wanting to stop the ball and secure it.
But instead he juggles it, and then grabs harshly
to stop its shaking and wriggling. And make a quick
squirming tag. Decisively the ball beat the runner
to home plate as if racing to recess.
After the ball is solidly in the catcher’s mitt, he dives
at the runner in haste to send him to the car,
to go home early. The glove grazes the runner’s side.
Everyone hangs on the umpire’s decision, then out of nowhere
like a gunshot heard ‘round the world
the strong deep voice of the ump sounds triumphantly
“Yoooooouuuur Ouuuuut!”