A baseball bat found
in my grandfather’s barn
with a signature
from Rabbit Maranville
(for what that’s worth)
near the barrel

This is what I found later
in the library
Maranville, Rabbit
looking ancient
on a computer screen
played with a glove
with the pocket cut out
not unlike the hole in palm
of my winter glove

Rabbit slick in the field
wide-ranging Maranville
spunk and determination
timing speed
his eye-popping "basket catches."

the name on that bat
Rabbit Maranville
no silver slugger
he never hit a lick
sorry Granpa
it ain’t worth shit

GO HOME