Can You Make the Game Tonight

The following is a series of short poems I wrote to the manager of our church league softball team.  It seems my daughter told him or showed him that I wrote poems and he challenged me to respond to his weekly request for players in rhyme.  I did my best to accommodate him each week.  Here is the colledtion of responses - - -

From:John [Softball Team Manager] Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Subject: Games Thursday
Mike,
I am aware that you write poems. I would like your responses to come in the form of a poem for the rest of the season.

My Response - - -
Who told you that story – it must be my daughter
I’ll be at the games, come hell or high water
But writing a poem to you week after week
My daughter and I need to sit down and speak
Writing in rhyme sometimes is quite taxing
I’m not just sitting here all bored and relaxing
I’ve work to do and I’m earning my pay
Not writing poems for you day after day
Since you’re management, I’d like to do what you like
But writing you poems, we’ll just see (that’s all – Mike)
_______________________________________
I’m just an old man from Ox Hill
Who’s lost speed but still has some skill
And you ask if I might
Play the games Monday night
If the good Lord is willing, I will
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Last night it appears the Good Lord wasn’t willing
The wind and the rain that he sent was quite thrilling
It ruined the evening for barbeque grilling
Now we have to play Friday night games

But from what I have seen, the “NO” list is growing
There’s a whole lot of guys that are simply not showing
And I know how you hate on the game day not knowing
So count me in if there no rains

But maybe the other team’s hurting like us
Maybe these Friday night games are a bust
Call them and cancel the games if you must
But count me in if you need names
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As an old man from Ox Hill I care
To play the game cleanly and fair
And to play all the games
Be it sunshine or rains
If the Lord will allow, I’ll be there
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Miss a game with my buddies, well there just ain’t no way
No matter the stress or the strain of the day
Only Good Lord and traffic can keep me at bay
Count me in coach, I’m ready to play
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But the game on the 7th – I won’t make the pair
Missing a game for me is quite rare
But I’m off on vacation – the mid-west somewhere
So I’ll keep the guys and the game in my prayers
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When it comes to position, the coach has his picks
When it comes to pure hitting, I still have some sticks
When it comes to the lineup, don’t play any tricks
When it comes to tonight’s game, I’ll be there at 6
 
mdailey - summer of 08