Derek Jeter’s Regrets, poem by Victoria M. Johnson (Celebrity Free Verse Poetry Series)

DEREK JETER’S REGRETS
by Victoria M. Johnson

I have no regrets.
“Obviously.”

My home.
My family.
My skinny legs.
At peace.

Shortstop.
Five championships.
“Stay humble.”

Being surrounded by friends and family.
Loyalty.
Contentment.

At home with my loved ones during the holidays.
To be able to play the piano.
To be more adventurous.
A spoiled dog.

SOURCE: Derek Jeter Proust Questionnaire (Vanity Fair, April 2011).

PHOTO: Derek Jeter by Ken Allison (2007).

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Derek Jeter is a class act. He has brought much excitement and awe to the game of baseball. Yet throughout his impressive athletic career and numerous accomplishments he has remained humble and grounded. I’ll miss watching him play.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Victoria M. Johnson is a Latina writer currently living in Los Gatos, California. She is published in fiction and nonfiction. In addition to writing poetry, she also writes and directs short films and micro documentaries. Visit Victoria’s website at VictoriaMJohnson.com and follow her on twitter @ByVictoriaJ or facebook.

The Cost, poem by Patrick T. Reardon (Celebrity Free Verse Poetry Series)

THE COST
by Patrick T. Reardon

Do you understand?
My first love.
I owe it.
Paying the price.

SOURCE:  “Exclusive Interview: Yankees’ Rodriguez discusses his enduring ‘love’ for baseball” by Joel Sherman, New York Post (July 20, 2013).

IMAGE: “To Be or not to Be in MLB” by Dan Haraga. Prints available at fineartamerica.com.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I’m a New York Yankees fan, but not especially an Alex Rodriguez fan. His interviews are fascinatingly vapid, and I wondered if there was some kernel of beauty hidden away somewhere. The one I used can be found here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patrick T. Reardon, a Chicagoan born and bred, is a former scholar-in-residence at the Newberry Library.