I Learned All Things Must End (Sestina)

           

I Learned all things must end (Sestina)

My earliest memory, was baseball in the yard, just dad and I
I ran home told my mom everything I had learned
I still recall catching the ball, trying not to fall, I remember it all
For Christmas that year I asked for all baseball things
If I wanted to be on a team having a bat was a must
My life felt complete when that Christmas reached its end



When that cold winter came to an end
We played catch outside, just my pops and I
But soon I realized I must
Play on a team, in order to use what I just learned
I told my dad these things
And he agreed all in all



When I got to tryouts I didn't know anyone at all
On the bench I just sat the end
And when we went up to bat we didn't use balls, just some rubbery things
Soon the coach saw the only one that could make those rubbery things fly, was I
Smiling at my dad to give credit for what I learned
To play baseball, he was the reason I must



For me being out in that dust was a must
Fall ball, indoor, high school, I played it all
At school it seemed like baseball was the only thing I learned
And when high school finally came to an end
My dad and I
Began to talk to scouts about college things



I was so excited, talking about these college things
But soon I learned when some can't others must
It was at that summer practice, with just the pitcher and I
And when that ball hit me, I took a fall and lost it all
The lines of scouts came to an end
My crippled hand laughed at all I had learned



Getting up from the dust, it was at college I learned
Baseball was just one of many things
And if baseball died my life didn't need to end
Even when all that is just is gone, go on I must
Fall ball, indoor, high school, I played it all
But if baseball is my life who am I?



The first time we learned about the lump we thought it must
Be one of those things, a mistake that was all
No mistake was made and in the end, we'll be playing catch in heaven, just dad and I