The Trouble Ball: Poems

EXCERPT: On my father's island, there were hurricanes and tuberculosis, dissidents in jail and baseball. The loudspeakers boomed: Satchel Paige pitching for the Brujo of Guayama. From the Negro Leagues he brought the gifts of Baltasar the King from a bench on the plaza he told the secrets of a thousand pitches: The Trouble Ball The Triple Curve, The Bat Dodger, The Midnight Creeper, The Slow Gin Fizz The Thoughtful Stuff. Pancho Coimbre hit rainmakers for the Leones of Ponce Satchel sat the outfielders in the grass to play poker, windmilled three pitche to the plate, and Pancho spun around three times.