my eternal alter-ego

age is such a fleeting
..flowing concept...bleeding
from one year to the next
very few markers and frames of context
one day..the whole world is older
....and then, that's all over your shoulder
and before you..are doctors that are suddenly
younger..as well as athletes and senators..under me
..in age..and the hard part is that in terms of contrast
........all that's available are the years past
the youthful vibrant years in my memory
..while the ragged years ahead, await conceptually

so...I turn to the ever youthful world of sports
............to find my alter-ego of sorts
in that sweltering summer of 74
...while America was bumbling it's way to the end of war
and while Nixon was sweating his way from lie to lie
2 boys were born...right under the publics eye
one in Brooklyn..the other in Piscataway
and while one picked up his pen..and put his bat away
the other kept slugging and chugging his way up
..until lo and behold he was leader of his club
so here we are together..obscurity and celebrity
............yours truly living vicariously
I pray for hit 4,000, 5000 and 6000 too
..for as long as Derek Jeter is out there..turning two

....the boys of summer of 74
remain eternally young and strong
.......and summer days go on and on...and on




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