…Mets fans in every borough chattering their teeth with fear.
On the forth of October, in aught six,
The Amazin’s rotation could definitely use a fix,
Thanks to Duque’s run and Pedro’s tears.

We said to our friends, “If they pitch
Without lefties on the mound in Shea,
Hold up your jersey, no reason to bitch,
With Reyes and Wright, we’ll find a way.
Seven by steal, and eighteen by blast,
And I in the opposite deck will sit, at last,
Ready to ride and spread the news,
Through the entire city, Staten to Kews,
So all but the Yankee fans, can laugh and be amused.”

Meanwhile, our friends, through Pittsburg and Philly,
Batted and fielded, with eager hearts,
Till our elderly pitchers, not yet old farts,
Started pulling all their calves, all willy nilly.
On Pedro, out went the left then the right,
And his shoulder, suddenly, became terribly tight,
El Duque was primed, for game one he was pegged,
Until a sprint in the outfield took out his leg.
And as they bent over, wincing in pain,
We all looked over at Rookie John Maine.

Twenty years they’ve waited,
These Met’s fans, and foes,
For the playoffs, the hits, the throws.
When they clinched they nearly fainted.
But now we wonder, and clatter, and tear,
With the very familiar,
if, this year, peculiar,
Old Metropolitan Fear.

But onto the mound rides our John Maine,
A Rookie in October, to shut down LA,
And an early off-season here to delay.
Just get six innings, and ease our pain.
The pen will endure, and get us out of the game,
If when John gets the ball,
In the park it remains.
Just know your place, rook,
Pitch by the book,
So born this night-wind of the Past,
then through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and still maintain,
The Mets took the division indeed,
Thanks to the miracle arm of rookie pitcher John Maine.

– To the theme of The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

P.S. A Dodger’s relief pitcher put himself on the disabled list busting his hand on a broken glass of water he got last night in his room. It’s been called a “bizarre Hotel-related injury.” This is all getting to be too much.

P.P.S. Let the mocking begin…

P.P.P.S. Mets win.