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Empire

Peter Goulding

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 From ancient Rome, the conquering legions spread
to kill and quell, to rob and subjugate.
The vanquished tribes knelt down and mourned their dead.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 From British, Dutch and Spanish, millions fled
as plundering galleons fostered fear and hate
until the map became a sea of red.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Stalin’s tanks inspired uncommon dread
in many an East European state
and served to keep the Russian bear well-fed.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 But empires fall; and ne’er a tear is shed
when some Ceausescu goes to meet his fate.
Atrocity and vengeance are thus wed.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 At Sky, wherein ‘new football fans’ are bred,
the target seems to be to create
a realm where all dissent is put to bed.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 The chosen few are handed daily bread.
The lesser clubs stand, empty-mouthed, and wait
till time and tide reverse the a to zed.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 The Sword of Damocles fell from its thread
and, served up with great glee upon a plate,
we gazed upon the Sturmbannführer’s head.

© Peter Goulding 29th January 2011

Notes

Never mind his obnoxious sexism, I’d like to indict Andy Gray for crimes against football.
Reclaim the game.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/empire/