ping in poetry

crank your words out with the same force
as you'd hit baseballs with an aluminum bat
the sting of the slam
ringing hard back
into your body
for as far as the ball flies
yes there will be times when you hit it on the sweet spot
and the vibrations cancel out
and all you don't feel anything
all you hear is the crowd
and the clear piercing "ping"
but that's not why you we do it
day to day
not to always hit home-runs
but just to get to swing
to speak
perchance to dream
and every once in a while
to win one for the team
but mostly
just to get to write
until your arms ache
until the day breaks
until you've said your peace
until you're dead at least
because there's nothing better
than that feeling
when you're almost there
that shatter down your arms

because you can't remember
if you don't first have that... ember
and it's already September
you don't get to swing forever
make it last
make them force you off the field
go not gently into the past
write and read
it doesn't matter
if you don't always succeed because
do you want to know a secret?

it's even better than the home run itself
that shiver of knowing
you're almost there
just a couple more
and then
ping!
ping!

ping