Regardless of the Scoreboard- Real Grace Reflection (Special Edition)

As the poet of the Farmstros Village, I established a tradition of creating and posting a poem about a fictitious baseball team known as the Dukes every Good Friday. I enjoyed being able to share these poems with my readers as a way to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.  When I departed the Farmstros offices, I wasn't sure if Dukes baseball would continue to be a part of my experience. I hoped it would.

As I discovered last spring, the Dukes are still playing baseball in the recesses of my imagination. This year's attempt to describe their exploits has been intermingled with another project currently dwelling in my cranium. As a result, the most recent Dukes poem, Regardless of the Scoreboard, is also a reflection on L.O.M.T.'s 2015 theme, REAL GRACE.

Regardless of the Scoreboard

It seemed a normal season

When the first game rolled around

Nobody saw it coming

It arrived without a sound

To some it looked like magic

That descended on the team

To others, it appeared the Dukes

Were living out a dream

There was a buzz around the team’s

Each pitch, each hit, each throw

And as the season moved along

The humming, it did grow

They did things well each night and day

They played with style and grace

And even when the Dukes did fall

They got back in the race

The Spring turned into Summer

And the Dukes maintained their roll

The fans came to the ballpark and

Cheered with their hearts and soul

They sat on edge for each pitch

Inning one to inning nine

Regardless of the scoreboard they knew

That their Dukes would be fine

A few folks were quite doubtful

They were sure good times would end

“It’s coming soon, the Dukes will show

Their face of old, again.”

Indeed, there was a group that “knew” the upswing couldn’t last

They waited for the team to “fail as they’ve done in the past.”

But good times did continue, through the summer into fall

The Dukes hit pot holes time to time

Yet, still they played good ball

Take me out to the ball game

Take me out to the crowd

They are our Dukes, and we’re all in

We can’t help but get loud

They rose and then they grinded

They did work as best they could

They nibbled on the corners

And when needed, swung the wood

The season ended leaving all the Dukes fans wanting more

They headed home and hoped for what the future had in store.

 c2015 by Mike Tauser

For your convenience here are links to the first seven installments:

The Golden Sombrero Wearer(2008)

Three Day Journey From Worst to First(2009)

The Second Baseman Rides into the Sunset(2010)

Ballpark Time Machine(2011)

The Sword Bellied Dukes Fans' Shirts Held Scimitars(2012)

#DukesForFree

"A" League West World