In the Shade of Freddie Gray

by Joe Pacheco

In the shade of Freddie Gray
The empty stands sit still.
No fans to shout hooray.

No anthem sung today,
No luxury box will fill
In the shade of Freddie Gray.

On field, two teams display
Their valor, speed and skill —
But no fans shout hooray.

Sirens wail just miles away,
Dark on the pitcher’s hill
Lies the shade of Freddie Gray.

A miracle catch or play
Won’t give late inning thrill.
No fans to shout hooray.

Respect or shame? We cannot say
But we’ll remember well —
No fans to shout hooray
In the shade of Freddie Gray.

“Sanibel Joe” Pacheco is a retired New York City superintendent living on Sanibel Island, Fla. His poetry has been featured several times on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Latino USA and WGCU. He has performed his poetry with David Amram’s jazz quartet at the Bowery Poets Café and Cornelia Street Café in New York City.