Poem for Monday

Stanza
By Michael Palmer

"A ringing in your left ear..."

Some of the books can't be found
and likewise certain rooms

with words in them
or built of words

appear to have been sealed
Sealed against what? First

light perhaps, nails of the hand

tendering the spine a glance
Rain must have its place, its chance

at the music -- text
now lost, now gone

Does distance cause the call

Do nights spin

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Another from Poet's Choice by Robert Pinsky in the Sunday Washington Post Book World. He writes, "The poetic term 'stanza' comes from an Italian word for 'room'; in a poem entitled 'Stanza,' Palmer considers what is contained in a body (the ringing left ear can signify an out-of-body experience), in a room containing the words in books or voices, in things that can't be found, in weather -- in the dizzy enigma of the last line, which seems to dramatize the escape of meaning out of all its containers, including language, including the room of this poem.

The score for Sunday was Orioles 4, Red Sox 1 (sorry, *g*). We went with my parents, in-laws and children to the game in Baltimore, where I regret to say that more than half the party were rooting for Boston, since my in-laws are from there, my father will root for whoever has the best chance of beating the Yankees in the East and my older son had been convinced by his grandfathers to follow their lead. This left my mother -- who cannot tell the Red Sox from the White Sox -- my younger son and me to root for the Orioles, who thankfully did not disappoint. And it is hard to come away from Camden Yards disappointed anyway because they have very good crab cakes.

Our original plan was to walk around the harbor and go out for seafood afterward, but it was a very quick game, the kids wanted some down time before camp this week, my in-laws were tired after three days of them visiting, my father's sciatica was bothering him and none of us were very hungry after the stadium food. So instead we came home with my parents, who took the kids to the pool for awhile, then we had pizza. This evening I have been trying to catch up on articles, comments and e-mails, to mixed success! But at least I have sent back all the betas I promised. The kids start camp Monday so hopefully I will be more organized this week!


Either the Baltimore area is full of secret Red Sox fans or a lot of New Englanders, frustrated at their inability to get tickets in Boston to see the champions, came down for this series, because Oriole Park set attendance records both today and for the weekend.


Fond as I am of Wrigley, Fenway and Old Comiskey, I think Camden Yards has the prettiest view from home plate of any stadium I've been.


We saw 2998. The at-bat that could have been 2999 was a line drive to the pitcher, and Palmiero never came to bat again, because the bottom of the ninth wasn't necessary.


Every city has its own advertising schtick, right? Baltimore has the McCormick Spice Factory, which makes Old Bay Seasoning. So these blue crabs appear onscreen, are liberally sprinkled with Old Bay and then do the old hide-the-baseball-under-one-of-the-crabs game. After a normal speed rendition, the scoreboard announces, "And now, for ___ fans..." with the name of the opponent in the blank, and repeats, very slowly, with big arrows saying, "This crab has the ball! He really does!" My kids find this endlessly amusing.


Don't worry -- he doesn't get caught stealing.


The M&T Bank Stadium, where the Baltimore Ravens play football -- see the purple seats? -- through the fence from the very last row of the upper deck at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I love sitting in the back row, as the breeze blows through this fence and there's an overhang for the lights that keeps everyone out of direct sunlight. Also, it offers the best views of the diving barn swallows that live in between the lights.


And what's a trip to Baltimore without a look at the Constellation (even if this one is from the fourth floor of our parking garage) sandwiched between the Harborplace buildings and the World Trade Center?