WHERE DOES THE WIND BEGIN?

*photo courtesy of Nana

Oh wind

My wild weary wind

Wind in my face as I race

Through life

My comforting cool breeze

Pollinator supreme

Fill my billowing sails

Fly my flag in center field

My rampaging tornado

My hurricane

My mover of weather

My friend on breezy days

Where do you begin?

You begin right here

At this very ballpark

Nestled in a chilli bowl of

Late afternoon shadows

Of a breezy day about to end

I slip on my hooded jacket

Hood up

Zipped

Hands pocketed

To ward off

What? Who, Wind?

Cold hands but briefly freed

To applaud a walk-off

Home Run

For the home team

By #2

“Yeah! Jay!

You, my Wind,

Yes, right here is

Where you begin!

tom tenbrunsel

Poet Laureate of Baseball

Author’s Note: Admittedly, the poem is two ideas/merged: baseball and the wind. But my inspiration came at the top of the fourth inning, when the sun shadow moved in and so did the evening wind. I wrote it down in my head and fleshed it out when I got home.

Not only does this poem document the very origin of “wind,” but celebrates America’s favorite pass time, Baseball, where the wind is always in play. And there is no doubt in my mind that the wind, mine and your wind, originate at the Asheville HS baseball field then swirl about the world. To quote Harry Carry, “ It’s going, going, going! Gone! It’s outta here!” - both the baseball and the persistent wind. So “Where Does the Win-d Begin” combines a play on words - Winning and the inevitable Wind wherever it begins. Stand up and cheer for the home team win-d!

Note the arrow pointing to the ball as it rises twenty feet high over the right center fence. Note also the flag furling breeze.

3/14/2025