Squaretable Seminars

She didn’t need balls
to catch one, or to run from base
to base like you guys
thought. The second
time she wore the uniform
you knew she wouldn’t drop out.

You couldn’t figure that out,
or how the balls
she threw made it the uniform
distance to the base.
She pushed every second
to prove to you guys

that she was one of the guys
on the field. But out
there you didn’t give her a second
thought, threw the balls
past her to a different base.
The orange-striped uniform

didn't look too uniform
on her chest, and you guys
made bets for which base
you could get to without
a knee to your balls
to knock you down for a second.

She played second
without a cup in the uniform
to protect her from stray balls
like you guys
had to wear, and she stuck out
her ponytail at the base

of her cap. But every base
she rounded was a second
too late, every strike-out
a shame to the uniform;
of course none of the guys
dropped that many balls.

She finished out the season and turned in the uniform.
The second summer came, but she didn’t want the guys
to base their comments again on whether she had balls.


© Hannah Walleser