Twelve

The umpire suddenly stops the game,

we’ve twelve men fielding instead of eleven,

the captain pointedly counts us all: eleven.

The umpire counts us again: twelve.

We all count each other: eleven.

The umpire says forget it and play on.

Ten minutes later he stops us again,

we’ve twelve men fielding and one must go.

The captain calls us up and lines us up:

one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten-ELEVEN!

And what about HIM? The umpire says,

pointing to the dark beneath the trees.