Braves at Phillies, 10/14/22

Braves at Phillies, 10/14/22

By Jared Frank

full crowd crying their verdict at the
visiting batter, and his offseason crime
 
(DUI, DUI, DUI),
 
and you’re offering me candy, Ziploc laden
with gum and Jolly Ranchers, yes, I’ll take one
 
and you say your son told you who brings candy
to a baseball game, he’s as stone-faced next
 
to you as the batter hearing
spiteful ball hitting catcher’s mitt
 
but we’re smiling as the green
apple gum dissolves to paste
 
on my tongue, Fall afternoon melting
to evening, jeers melting to clamor melting to buzz.

This poem was nominated for Best of the Net.

Jared Frank is a medical writer and Phillies fan residing in Philadelphia. His poetry has previously appeared in Gargoyle and Entropy Magazines, and his baseball writing in The Good Phight. You can follow him on Twitter @JarRFrank.

Jason David Córdova lives in Puerto Rico as an illustrator and painter. Some of his art can be seen on Instagram at @jasoni72. You can visit his shop on Red Bubble.

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