Reminiscing by Ralph Cortez 1 Watermelons were so much sweeter then, 2 When boys were the stuff of super men, 3 And summers seemed so much longer too, 4 With nothing pending and nothing due. 5 We were swordsmen—swashbuckling heroes, 6 Eternal victors—never zeroes; 7 Second basemen and clean-up hitters; 8 Forever winners, never quitters. 9 Play was a ritual in those days, 10 To go on magical mind forays, 11 To play the game with aplomb and ease, 12 To venture forth when and where we’d please. 13 We would feign death, and then rise up again. 14 Watermelons were so much sweeter then. 1. How does the connotation of the word "summers" in line 3 contrast with the way a college student might view summers?

Reminiscing by Ralph Cortez 1 Watermelons were so much sweeter then, 2 When boys were the stuff of super men, 3 And summers seemed so much longer too, 4 With nothing pending and nothing due. 5 We were swordsmen—swashbuckling heroes, 6 Eternal victors—never zeroes; 7 Second basemen and clean-up hitters; 8 Forever winners, never quitters. 9 Play was a ritual in those days, 10 To go on magical mind forays, 11 To play the game with aplomb and ease, 12 To venture forth when and where we’d please. 13 We would feign death, and then rise up again. 14 Watermelons were so much sweeter then. 2. What is the connotation of the word "zeroes" (line 6) in the context of the poem?

Reminiscing by Ralph Cortez 1 Watermelons were so much sweeter then, 2 When boys were the stuff of super men, 3 And summers seemed so much longer too, 4 With nothing pending and nothing due. 5 We were swordsmen—swashbuckling heroes, 6 Eternal victors—never zeroes; 7 Second basemen and clean-up hitters; 8 Forever winners, never quitters. 9 Play was a ritual in those days, 10 To go on magical mind forays, 11 To play the game with aplomb and ease, 12 To venture forth when and where we’d please. 13 We would feign death, and then rise up again. 14 Watermelons were so much sweeter then. 3. What is the connotation of line 1 and line 14?