With NY Giants Pitcher Johnny Antonelli

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My grandfather was a pitcher in the Cape Cod Baseball League before serving in World War II. He enjoyed sports and spending time with other athletes. During his retirement years in Florida he played golf with Johnny Antonelli. Antonelli was the ace pitcher (21-7 with a 2.30 ERA) for the New York Giants in 1954 when they won the World Series. I spent a day with Johnny and my grandfather watching spring training games in 1986. Antonelli let me wear his World Series ring for an entire game. Johnny Antonelli died just this past February at the age of 89. More about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Antonelli

Pet Goldfish

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i suppose everyone
had a goldfish
from the pet
store or school
fair, glistening orange
in plastic bag
captured bit of
rippling nature, and
we tried to
keep it alive
with flakes and
water changes, but
after a few
months it died
and what did
we learn? how
to understand loss
that toilet flush
goodbye, what is
life? what is
death? it meant
nothing, and everything

Have You Noticed?

Published on by @DwPolk2 Comments

Have you noticed that the earth
is always turning, that shadows 
really do move across grass, 
stone, everything?

Have you noticed that nature’s 
wind touches all of life, 
caterpillars, green ivy leaves, 
chipmunks, tree trunks?

Have you noticed the white 
cloud canvas, sparrow silhouette 
in springtime sky, chirping 
and flirting with the sun?

Have you noticed the bees 
with their stingers, moving 
from flower to flower, not 
thinking about us at all?

Have you noticed how fast 
we move through our days, 
from screen to screen, with 
all the rest unseen?