BACK TO THE FUTURE: BLAKE AT NUMBER 7.
So was it all worthwhile then? Was it all worthwhile?
Spending all that time, travelling on the train?
Was it all worthwhile, waiting in the waiting rooms,
Penning these lines at 4 o’ clock in the morning
On an empty rainswept station in Exeter?
Was it worth the while then ? Was it time well spent?
Leaving John Betjeman’s sepia tinted seaside haunts,
And leafy, sleepy, hollow lane Devon,
All Thomas Hardy and double cream teas,
And eavesdropped carriage conversations about
“ It’s so dark in that village with all they trees”.
Was it worthwhile to rock and roll
Through the rolling chalk downlands of Wiltshire,
Past the etched white horses and ancient tumuli
Of that ridgewayed stone age landscape,
Before abruptly reaching Betjeman’s modernist Slough
And the great western suburbs of Cobbet’s Great Wen.
Was it worthwhile to travel east and underground
To mysterious watery Shadwell,
Walking under Gustav Dore steam smoked viaducts,
And past Spitalfields weavers’ combinations
And the Brick Lane kaleidoscope of modern London,
A city of 300 languages and countless faiths
And a multitude of tapestries of meaning.
Was it all worthwhile to break my holiday
And play my part by playing a part,
In helping build a new Football Nation,
A Football Nation that has Pride without Prejudice,
Pride without Prejudice in the old iron works,
That is now the Cafe Kick in Shoreditch High Street,
Where a St. George’s Night Special found a packed room
Listening to presentations and song and debate,
About reclaiming the Cross of St. George from the racist right,
So that tomorrow is not for them, but for us,
And where past tradition and future opportunity
Are stitched together in a flag of inclusivity –
So was it all worthwhile to swop Devon’s hollow ways
For London’s mean and chartered streets,
And a Blakean vision of Liberty through Diversity?
By George, it was, for see the angels in the trees,
And see how the flag shines in the dismal rain and cloud,
Its warp and weft weaving a new rainbow island story;
Those Spitalfield handloom artisans and Shoreditch ironworkers
Would be as proud of us as we are proud of them,
As we go back to the future together
And make the future worthwhile.
Many thanks to all at Philosophy Football and especially Mark Perryman for putting on such a great night.
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
My Account
Latest Poems
joe morris
6th May 2024
joe morris
4th May 2024
Crispin Thomas
2nd May 2024
joe morris
2nd May 2024
joe morris
28th April 2024
Richard Williams
26th April 2024
joe morris
25th April 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
25th April 2024
kevin halls
23rd April 2024
Alex Saynor
23rd April 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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25th April 2024 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Joe,
you might like to write a poem yourself on the same subject…
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23rd April 2024 at 4:03 pm
Hi Denys
With you all the way on the abolition of FA Cup replays. What are they doing to the game?
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23rd April 2024 at 3:59 pm
Hi Crispin,
Yes sorry mate. Villa are still in Europe. Mistake rectified.
Cheers
Joe
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20th April 2024 at 12:04 pm
Hi Joe
Shouldn’t your title read your poem Farewell Europe England to everyone exccept Aston Villa ?
I know you mention them in your poem , but I do feel sorry for Villa re the national press .
Largely ignored. the hype was was all about Man City & Arsenal with a bit of a nod to the Hammers..but hardly a mention of Villa..
So well done to them
C
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19th March 2024 at 8:00 am
Hi Crispin. Chris Sutton on the radio has gone for a Chelsea v Coventry final. As we know anything can happen in the Cup, and I reckon we can go to the final.
We’re still in with a chance of the play offs too, so lots to go for.
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19th March 2024 at 7:41 am
Hey Kev
Let the masses drool over their odds on City v Unted Final, but who knows how pressure can hit.
Cov and Chels will be rightly labelled as having no chance..but hey …stranger things have happened..
so Chelsea v Coventry…that’s the Final for us!
Best
C
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