Monday, March 16, 2009

Joy in Mudville

For all of the Ernest Thayer fans out there an introduction to the poem "Casey At the Bat" is not needed, but for those wishing for one let's just say the outlook wasn't brilliant. 

"Casey At the Bat" has been my life-time favorite poem for obvious name comparisons but also for the imagery of Mudville. The poem, published nearly 121 years ago, is filled with descriptions begging the 8-year old spirit in all of us to keep reading.

It paints a story of a heroic figure named Casey who has been waiting for his big chance to shine when it comes to the big game. Unlike most poems (especially children's poems) when his chance comes, he fails. But that's just the start of the imagery. I would like to think Thayer wrote an altered ending. That maybe Casey could be redeemed in the following season (or maybe get traded to the Giants.) 

Regardless of Thayer's relentless attempt to paint Casey a failure for eternity, at least he swung at strike three instead of watching it go by.


2 comments:

  1. first comment!

    i think this casey can make a homerun.

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  2. Wouldn't Dad love a sequel that included Casey playing with the Giants? Better yet, Casey hits one out of the park & wins the game...against the Dodgers!

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