To John Montefusco by Joey Nicoletti

Mr. Montefusco, the combination

of your Italian lineage,

your cool nickname: The Count,

your mischievous smile,

and your hatred of the Dodgers

endeared you to the men

of my family, even though you were

a San Francisco Giant

for most of your career.

I dig you for your honesty,

your willingness to tell people off;

that you didn’t just burn

bridges; you destroyed them.

I dig you because you stood up

for yourself, whenever

you felt wronged, and you fought

as hard to get ready to pitch

as you did with most

of your managers—as heated 

as my father (and any man

in my family could get),

his muscles twitching 

backlit by the kitchen window,

sharp blinds slicing

the sun like soppressata.

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Joey Nicoletti was born in New York City. He works in Buffalo.