North Adams

All the boys stood for the Anthem
on the home team's neglected field with more
cheerleaders than football players. I stood outside
the fence, the only evident visiting team fan,
waiting for my eldest son, taller than I,
to get his shot at a sack or a solid block.
It was mountainous and sunny and the day felt like
the early hours of a manic episode might -
everything suddenly a little brighter, more vivid,
giddy nearly to the point of dizzy.
I contained it, my face reddening in the brilliance,
taking in the silhouette of the mountain -
the one that inspired Melville to write
his whale.