This piece by J. Patrick Lewis was published in Light Quarterly in 1954. It presents some lively descriptions of the various pitches a batter faces at the plate. When one considers such a dynamic target, it’s no wonder that successfully earning a hit in one-in-three at-bats makes for an accomplished hitter.
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The fastball
that you hope to poke
is smoke
The curveball
that you thought was there
is air
The knuckler
wobbling up to you
can dipsy-do
The screwball
an ironic twist
hits your fist
The sinker
comes as a surprise:
it dies
The let-up pitch
you can’t resist?
you missed
The spitball
that by law’s forbidden
(is hidden)
