Wings

He always fought, hitting
back hard, pushing
even harder.

Anything you did he could do worse
deeper, darker, further from home base
and safe on-base runs or even slides.
He couldn't help himself, he had to.
Had to. Like, must do
or undo if that was worse. Always worse.
A form of winning for the underdog
who didn't wouldn't jump climb fly
but wasn't afraid to dig or drop.
The bottom was never far enough for him.

So how did you expect the story to end?
Did you think all of that would somehow turn out alright?
Come out in the wash?
That he would drill through the basement and somehow hallelujah
somehow find the sky lay there,
low enough for him to finally soar the depths?
Do you think that happened?

Taking flight