strike two!

the unseen umpire

calls it…screaming it from the mound

while

in tux and tails

a dead conducter reads

ancient and finely crafted

lead sheets

dripping with the dried blood

from an old comfort’s

talons

he’s orchestrating things

these days

he’s finding great amusement

in the mix of humans who have gathered

one fumbling, undecided

another extracting  his research

going solo

after all….

he giggles as they fumble each ball

reprimands them for each

sour note…

falls to the ground

rolling in eternity’s tall grasses

hysterical with glee…

he’s still has a little  more work to do here

now that the body

isn’t dragging him down

 betraying him at every turn…

so he sticks around

a shapeshifting trickster

in a jokester’s uncommon skin

fucking with us, one and all…

FER GET ABOU DIT!  screams the ump

tucking  a greasy lock back  under

its worn ball cap

YER OUTTA HERE! he screams to the one

he always trusted

the least…

the lights dim, the hall darkens

confused musicians carry their instruments

silently out a back alley door

some, tripping over a  shattered baton

a few, certain that they heard a soft snicker  

from behind the velvet curtain on the stage…

the lights flash out

above the bleachers

leaving only the dark of night’s skies

while only shadows dance

across the  long-emptied  field….

he stands on first base

invisible and grinning

rubbing his hands together in glee

oh baby!  you all are somethin’ else!

and i can’t wait to see what’s  next…