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POEMS, "CASEY AT THE
BAT."
IT WOULDN'T BE A
VINTAGE BASE BALL GAME
WITHOUT A LITTLE BIT OF
THAT.
>> THE OUTLOOK WASN'T
BRILLIANT FOR THE
MUDVILLE NINE THAT DAY.
THE SCORE STOOD 4-2
WITH BUT ONE INNING
MORE TO PLAY.
THEN WHEN COONEY DIED
AT FIRST AND BARROWS
DID THE SAME, A SICKLY
SILENCE FELL UPON THE
PATE RONS OF THE GAME.
A FEW GOT UP TO GO IN
DEEP DESPAIR.
THE REST CLUNG TO THE
HOPE WHICH SPRINGS
ETERNAL IN THE HUMAN
BREAST.
THEY THOUGHT IF ONLY
CASEY COULD BUT GET A
WHACK AT THAT, WE'D PUT
UP EVEN MONEY NOW WITH
CASEY AT THE BAT.
BUT FLYNN PRECEDED
CASEY AS DID JIMMY
BLAKE.
AND THE FORMER WAS A
LU-LU AND THE LATTERER
WAS A CAKE.
UPON THE STRICKEN
MULTITUDE GRIM
MELLCOLLY SAT FOR THIS
SCENE OF LITTLE CHANCE
OF CASEY'S GETTING TO
THE BAT.
BUT FLYNN LET DRIVE A
SINGLE TO THE WONDMENT
OF THEM ALL AND BLAKE,
TO THE SURPRISE OF
EVERYONE, TORE THE
COVER ALL THE BALL.
WHEN THE DUST HAD
LIFTED AND THE MEN SAW
WHAT HAD OCCURRED,
THERE WAS JIMMY SAFE AT
SECOND AND FLYNN
HUGGING THIRD.
FROM 5,000 THROATS AND
MORE THERE ROAST A
L.S.U.Y YELL.
IT RUMBLED THROUGH THE
VALLEY, IT RATTLED IN
THE DEL.
IT KNOCKED UPON THE
MOUNTAIN AND RECOILED
UPON THE FLAT.
FOR MACY, -- CASEY WAS
ADVANCING TO THE BAT.
THERE WAS PRIDE IN
CASEY'S BEARING AND A
SMILE ON CASEY'S FACE.
AND WHEN RESPONDING TO
THE CHEERS, HE LIGHTLY
TIPPED HIS HAT.
NO STRANGE HER THE
CROWD COULD DOUBT IT
WAS CASEY AT THE BAT.
10,000 EYES WERE ON HIM
AS HE RUBS HIS HANDS
WITH DIRT.
5,000 THUMBS APPLAUDED
WHEN HE WIPED THEM ON
HIS SHIRT.
WHILE THE PITCHER
GROUND THE BALL INTO
HIS HIP, DEFIANCE
GLEAMED IN CASEY'S EYE,
A SNEER CURLED CASEY'S
LIP.
NOW THE COVERAGE FARE
IS HURT LING THROUGH
THE AIR.
AND CASEY SHOOD
WATCHING IT IN HAUTEY
GRANDEUR THERE.
CLOSE BI, THE BATSMAN,
THE BALL UNHEATED SPED.
THAT AIN'T MY STYLE,
SAID CASEY.
STRIKE ONE, THE UMPIRE
SAID.
FROM THE BENCH BLACK
WITH PEOPLE THERE WENT
UP A MUSCLED ROAR
LINING THE BEATING OF
THE STORM WAVES ON A
STERN AND DISTANT
SHORE.
KILL HIM!
KILL THE UMPIRE SHOUTED
SOMEONE ON THE STAND.
AND IT'S LIKELY THEY'D
HAVE KILLED HIM HAD NOT
CASEY RAISED HIS HAND.
WITH A SMILE OF
CHRISTIAN CHARITY,
GREAT CASEY'S VISSAGE
SHOWN, HE BADE THE GAME
TIME GO ON.
HE SIGNALED TO THE
PITCHER AND ONCE MORE
THE BALL FLEW.
BUT CASEY STILL IGNORED
IT AND THE UMPIRE SAID,
STRIKE TWO!
FRAUD, CRIED THE
MADENED THOUSANDS.
AN ECHO ANSWERED FRAUD.
WHEN SCORNFUL LOOK FROM
CASEY AND THE AUDIENCE
WAS AWED, THEY SAW HIS
FACE GROW STERN AND
COLD.
THEY SAW HIS MUSCLES
STRAIN.
HE KNEW THAT CASEY
WOULDN'T LET THAT BALL
GO BY AGAIN.
THE SNEER IS GONE FROM
CASEY'S LIP.
HIS TEETH ARE CLINCHED
IN HATE.
HE POUNDS WITH CRUEL
VIOLENCE HIS BAT UPON
THE PLATE.
NOW THE PITCHER HOLDS
THE BALL AND NOW HE
LETS IT GO.
AND NOW THE AIR IS
SHATTERED BY THE FORCE
OF CASEY'S BLOW.
OH, SOMEWHERE IN THIS
FAVORITE LAND THE SUN
IS SHINING BRIGHT.
THE BAND IS PLAYING
SOMEWHERE.
AND SOMEWHERE HEARTS
ARE LIGHT.
AND SOMEWHERE MEN ARE
LAUGHING AND SOMEWHERE
CHIPPER SHOUT.
BUT THERE IS NO JOY IN
MUDVILLE.
MIGHTY CASEY HAS STRUCK
OUT.