bowling with Petraglia

he always wanted
to be a good poet
whose poems people would read
books they would buy
maybe go on Oprah
get a break

he thought it would be
like being a good bowler or golfer
without much practice
a natural at some things

after a while

a lifetime

he knew that he wouldn’t play professional golf
or bowl against the likes of Johnny Petraglia
at an age where his drives were shorter
strikes and spares
fewer, his poems seemed better
less personal, more provocative
darkly funny
still, he knew
he would be no Billy Collins

by then, even Oprah was going off the air

Barry DeCarli
©2010 Barry DeCarli