Catch - A poem by Robert Francis

Robert Francis - Catch

Two boys uncoached are tossing a poem together,
Overhand, underhand, backhand, sleight of hand, everyhand,
Teasing with attitudes, latitudes, interludes, altitudes,
High, make him fly off the ground for it, low, make him stoop,
Make him scoop it up, make him as-almost-as possible miss it,
Fast, let him sting from it, now, now fool him slowly,
Anything, everything tricky, risky, nonchalant,
Anything under the sun to outwit the prosy,
Over the tree and the long sweet cadence down,
Over his head, make him scramble to pick up the meaning,
And now, like a posy, a pretty one plump in his hands.

Added: on January 15th, 2006 at 3:56 PM | Viewed: 2261 times | Comments and analysis of Catch by Robert Francis Comments (3)

Catch - Comments and Information
Poet: Robert Francis Poem: Catch Comment 3 of 3, added on May 9th, 2007 at 9:09 AM. I think this is a very good poem. I like it a lot. The only thing i don't like is the comparison to baseball, even though i play baseball i am ashamed that all of these girly poets comare to baseball. It is a very manly sport and i am very dissapointed joe from United States Comment 2 of 3, added on April 21st, 2007 at 11:52 AM. This is a very clever poem well written by a poet named Robert Francis. The poem "Catch" can be compared to a baseball because any poems can be tricky and full of meanings. He wanted the reader to think hard about his poem. The last two stanza refers to any readers "Over his head, make him scramble to pick up the meaning, And now, like a posy, a pretty one plump in his hands". Poems are like baseball games; throw different words and outwit the readers' knowledge. Imelda Blassingame from Philippines Comment 1 of 3, added on January 15th, 2006 at 3:56 PM. I recently encountered this poem in my english class and I wanted to know more about it. Since there were not any comment here, I just wanted to post my point of view. I believe that this poem is about the importance of interpreting poetry. . .Hence the name "Catch". I think that the baseball game is symbolic of the relationship between a poem and its audience, or either the poet and the reader. Bryce from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Catch, has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Robert Francis with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Robert Francis Poem: Catch Last read: Jul 24 2008, 11:31PM Viewed 2261 times. Added on January 15th, 2006 at 3:56 PM.

Francis Info
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