Poem of the Week By Matthew Johnson

Biography: 

Matthew Johnson is the author of the poetry collections, Shadow Folks and Soul Songs (Kelsay Books), Far from New York State (New York Quarterly Press), and the chapbook, Too Short to Box with God (Finishing Line Press). His work has appeared or is forthcoming in The African American Review, Heavy Feather Review, London Magazine, and elsewhere. He has been recognized with several nominations and recognitions, including from the Best of the Net, Grand View University, Hudson Valley Writers Center, and Pushcart Prize. He’s the managing editor of The Portrait of New England and poetry editor of The Twin Bill. Find out more at his website!

---

Backstory:

With this poem, I wanted to capture the pure excitement and historical significance of Aaron Judge hitting his 62nd home run during the 2022 season. As Judge was closing in on the milestone, the most home runs by a Yankee and American League record, I felt that the conversation surrounding the record began to unfortunately overshadow the achievement itself. Some fans were upset the milestone was getting so much attention despite the fact that it was not the overall single-season home run record. There were also college football fans who were upset when their games were interrupted to show Judge’s at-bat when he was approaching the record. The legacies of Barry Bonds and Roger Maris, I think, are untouchable, and I felt compelled to write a poem that focused on the moment—on Judge’s accomplishment, not on the controversies or comparisons.

---

When Aaron Judge Hit 62 Home Runs

If Aaron Judge was Babe Ruth or Roger Maris
When they hit 60 and 61 home runs, back when baseball was king,
And its greatest rulers and winners were Yankee outfielders,
This latest iteration of a pinstripe slugger
Would be the most admired and well-known athlete in America,
And college football fans wouldn’t mind their college football games
Being interrupted to watch his at-bats, which would be must-see television.

If Aaron Judge was Barry Bonds when he hit 73 home runs,
He’d be the best ballplayer that most of us had ever seen,
And whenever he stepped into the batter’s box,
The sound of boos raining down during away games
Would bounce back against his elbow protector,
Like his bat did against all cynics and curveballs,
As he done slugged another one.

But Aaron Judge is Aaron Judge, and 62 is enough.

 

© 2025 Matthew Johnson