DIAMOND LIFE

In previous works Smith has extolled the virtues of basketball; here he turns his attention to baseball. See the game from behind the catcher’s mask. Hear the “pop, scratch, whiff, and whack” of the ball, bat, and glove in intimate contact. Say those wonderfully evocative baseball phrases like, “swing for the fences,” and “hit ‘em where they ain’t.” Read about the braggart “dominator” who strikes out, and the wonderful excuses like, “the second baseman tripped me.” There is also the poignant moment when the father can no longer play catch with his son. Although some of the pieces are not strictly poetry, they read with a poetic flow and rhythm. Smith’s keen ear is matched by his sharp eye. Many of the color photographs are close-ups that focus on a particular action. The graphic presentation of the text highlights the key words and gives them motion. A sheer delight for every fan. (Poetry. 7-10)