Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Honus


T206 Honus Wagner Baseball Card
Image in the Public Domain


When you’re rare
you’re worth a lot.

Even if you’re just
the kid brother afterthought
working in a coal mine
at 12 years old—

you can

dream,
believe,
become.

Like becoming
one of the
first 5 players elected
to the National Baseball Hall of Fame,

or becoming
the first
to get your signature on
the Louisville Slugger,

or have yours
be the most valuable
baseball card in history.

Like Honus,
there’s only one you,

and it might be schmaltzy
to say, but—
that’s pretty rare.



© 2014 Jennifer Wagner




19 comments:

Brian Miller said...

smiles. always dreamed of finding one when i was a kid.
shat a story he has as well...shmaltzy or not it is true
and more need to believe it...smiles.

Mary said...

I liked this, Jennifer. Each person is 'rare' indeed; (wonderful message) but what a priceless treasure a Honus Wagner card would be!

Wendy Bourke said...

Great take on Poetry Jam's prompt, Jennifer! "there’s only one you" needs to be said . . . and heard, from time to time.

Gabriella said...

Very cool take on the prompt! I like how you go from all the things that make Honus rare to the conclusion that each of us is unique.

Justin Lamb said...

I like it.

Maude Lynn said...

Well done!

Laurie Kolp said...

This is great, Jennifer. I love your opening... and the ending rocks (schmaltzy).

Susan Lindquist said...

Sound and loving assurance to a young and much-loved player and fan! I imagine you reading this to your youngster ... smiles. Well done!

alan1704 said...

Great words, we are all special and we are each a treasure, Seeing the value in each other. Well done.

Ananya said...

So true, we are all unique in our own way !
well written !

http://www.ananyatales.com

janetld said...

Enjoyed this! Yes, we're all pretty rare!

Wayne Pitchko said...

Nicely done.....
I had boxes of baseball cards as a kid in the 50s.....but not a Honus

RMP said...

only one me...sometimes that can be hard to remember. a well penned verse!

Sarav said...

Jennifer, you are such a wonderful story teller, beautifully written :-)

aspiritofsimplicity said...

sometimes I walk the beach with a 6 year old boy and he tells me that blue seaglass is very rare and lucky to find...i don't think that's schmaltzy at all

Magyar said...

__It matters little from where we have come, it matters only... where we have arrive, and how we had traveled. Thus "how we had travwled," is the way in which we civily... step forward. Beautifully written here, Jen! _m

Intelliblog said...

Nice one. Rarity in uniqueness, baseball card or otherwise.

Anonymous said...

I've got three- no, four - boxes of baseball cards that I'm getting rid of. Might be something valuable in there. Most likely, not. ~

Anonymous said...

nice - everyone has a purpose