Fan Formalities.

This poem is a stylistic imitation of Lisa Jarnot's "Swamp Formalism", which is actually written to Donald Rumsfeld. We had to imitate a poem of hers for the Writers Reading Poetry Seminar, and I chose this, and wrote about the Red Sox during the 2007 ALCS when they came back against the Cleveland Indians.

Fan Formalities

As if they can’t believe,
Excited, anxious, with ears as if they heard
Everything in the park, in an
Anticipated way, with their widened
Headlight eyes, as if they were
Tired and scared and waiting
As if there were a hero or two or more
As if this isn’t over when it seemed
To be, outs count to 27 against green
Sturdy walls, as if from the
Grass that they graciously stand
And live through 38,000 as if
They are the team, like an
Unbreakable bond as if the
Stressful pain of useless error
In gloves that should make the play
As if it didn’t kill the fans, the
Pitcher, and the manager, as if the
Field and the ring were not
Diamond shaped and prized,
Allowing in the region, breathing
Sighs, in relief, in the
One October, and 3 years ago when
One October changed.