Heart of the Order : Baseball Poems

Nearly 100 poems about that most literary of sports: baseball. An anthology of classic and contemporary poems by some of America’s top authors―in a beautifully designed, portable edition that will be treasured by all baseball fans.

Here is an impressive roster of poets from the past 75 years, including Hall of Famers like Richard Hugo, Irving Feldman, William Matthews, Marianne Moore, Ogden Nash, and May Swenson, and contemporary All-Stars like B.H. Fairchild, Linda Gregerson, Donald Hall, Denis Johnson, Yusef Komunyakaa, Thomas Lux, Gail Mazur, and others. In all, nearly one hundred poets represent the spectrum of verse writing about the National Pastime: from stickball and sandlot games to the Majors, from spectators to scrubs and superstars. They underscore baseball’s particular poetic sensibility, capturing its rhythms, culture, and timelessness. Includes a Foreword by Daniel Okrent, acclaimed author (Nine Innings, Last Call, and others), inaugural Public Editor of the New York Times, and inventor of Rotisserie League Baseball, also known as Fantasy Baseball. A very classy collection, excellent poetry and excellent baseball―a perfect gift.

Gabriel Fried is Persea’s poetry editor and a poet. He is the author of three books of poetry, including No Small Thing, The Children Are Reading, and Making the New Lamb Take. He lives in Columbia, Missouri, where he directs the creative writing program at the University of Missouri.