It was here on this West Virginia earth 

a notion gave birth, an impulse.

This dusty patch, this ghost of a ball diamond, 

was a place of try, and cry of joy.

Now silence & weeds bleed memories of deeds.

One leads to another.

The war come & gone, and another.

A generation come & gone,

my beard come & gone white.

It was just here, if I remember right,

a light air rose and carried earth to my nose,

like today.

A fly buzzed.

An ant walked in the dust.

Robin red-breast fussed just there in his carnivorous quest

lest the worm turn & escape,

1st sign of spring.

It was here, near 1st base, 

without haste I kissed a girl.

No recollection who she was,

dim impression what she looked like.

Now, a form without shape,

a substance without being.

Near 1st base I kissed a girl

and taste her still.

By Barry Chafin, a longtime member of, and frequent presenter for, Bellarmine’s Veritas Society (www.bellarmine.edu/ce/veritas/).