6:30 am and I’m awake
Every morning before a game
Shirt tucked into my pants
The red belt keeps them up
Slides on over the red socks
Into the car with a pillow to sleep for the hour drive
At the field at 8:00
Warm ups taking 30 minutes
Slides become cleats
The pillow becomes a helmet
up at the plate
The bat swings as hard as possible
Every ounce of anger towards anyone is taken out on the ball
That neon yellow ball goes flying
A girl with legs pumping
Adrenaline rushing through her veins
A call from a man who I hardly know
“she’s safe” he yelled
my team cheers
cheers of success
Drama and failure from off the field gone
None of that matters in these three hours
The most peace I feel all day
Surrounded by noises and screaming
We are taught to win and lose with grace
To love and respect the community around us
the one place I feel at home
is home plate
