Cool Papa Bell at Bedtime

Catherine always asked

for bedtime stories

about princesses playing

baseball with Cool Papa Bell,

the only seven-year-old girl

I knew requesting tales

of romance mixed with quicksilver

speed, listening intently

as Cool Papa scores

from second on a bunt,

and beats out two-hop

ground balls to short,

playing on the same

team as this evening’s royal

heroine, even famously

out-running electricity,

and almost, almost keeping

up with the princess,

as Catherine eases

smiling into sleep.