to faith in sometimes……… (survival of the wealthiest)
remember when we used to say
survival of the fittest
these days wealth is the new fitness it seems
but what is wealth
skill talent money or humour?
sometimes – in order to survive
we look to wealth –
that which we have
and that which we don’t
just to survive
to rise above and endure
the slings and euros
of other clubs’ outrageous fortunes
and by staying up somehow – to end them
long gone euphoria
long gone optimism
long gone early season aspirations
when fixtures blank were beckoning
with hopes high and soaring
such is this life – up and down
keeping afloat – flaunting riches – or feigning them
existing on the breadline
as poets – how like unknown footballers we are
torn forever twixt dreams of promotion
and nightmares of relegation
longing to love and be loved
from the Guardian to the Mirror
from OK to Hello
When Saturday Comes to 4-4-2
the stuff of dreams is classless..
hello reality -whatever it is
sometimes we forget
to remember
what came first
the football or the passion
the play or the players
the game or the glamour
and sometimes it’s hard to see
the Sky or the mountain
the game for the hype
the beauty for the tension
the wood for the trees
the quality – the result
but sometimes we remember
we are being breathed
sometimes we forget
both mountains will always be there
the mountains of things that we do
the mountains to climb and the view
and sometimes we feel
however high we climb
however much we move
we are still in the same place
but something moves
something changes
and something grows
what do you call it ?
i call it love
love of the game
love of football
love of believing
love of life
but sometimes
when we leave that crazy mountain
the endless pile that we create
to climb that living mountain
eyes open
hearts soar
time freezes
and we remember
to take a breath
and in that moment
wherever you stop
to choose a spot
maybe that is the very spot…
where
content with yourself
at peace with your team
wherever they began
and wherever they end up
a place to be
where grass grows under your feet
but the ball of your heart is in the air
a place to be you
a place to be grateful
a place to be free
a place to be safe
whatever safety means to you that is…
and in this life
surely
isn’t that
always
the best place to be?.
until next season that is……
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
Crispin Thomas
16th June 2025
Gacina Bozidar
15th June 2025
joe morris
15th June 2025
Stuart Butler
13th June 2025
Alex Saynor
13th June 2025
John Gilbert Ellis
7th June 2025
joe morris
7th June 2025
Denys E. W. Jones
31st May 2025
joe morris
31st May 2025
Clik The Mouse
30th May 2025
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
7th June 2025 at 5:57 pm
Very well put! My recent favourite came when visiting Chesterfield. They have the ‘LMD Vacuum Excavation Stand’.
May be if you’re in the vacuum excavation business, it’s a beautiful sounding name.
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24th May 2025 at 7:19 am
Hi Steve
I’ve come across you before on the live poetry circuit…something I’ve also been involved in since the late 90s at slams, gigs and festivals. Did you ever get to Glasto?
I was also at Swindon when José subbed and berated Kevin in a League Cup game for Chelsea….
Salah as you point out went the same way…
Be interesting to see Kev’s next move?
Best
Crispin
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24th April 2025 at 1:05 pm
Hey Denys..love this
“You may be a miner working down a pit.
You may be a rock star playing sold out gigs.
You may be a fireman putting out a blaze.
You may be an inmate chalking off the days. ”
Not just Dylan but maybe an unintentional nod to and shades of Ian Dury’s enigmatic ‘What A Waste’ rhythmic scanning..eg:
I could be the driver in an articulated lorry
I could be a poet I wouldn’t need to worry
I could be a teacher in a classroom full of scholars
I could be the sergeant in a squadron full of wallahs
What a waste
What a waste
Was lucky enough to meet and interview him twice.
Best wishes from Forest Green to Genoa C
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8th March 2025 at 2:34 pm
Thanks Crispin
I’ve been to FGR a couple of times in the past – great food! Barnet look like they have the NL sewn up for this season, but I wish you well for promotion next season.
Regards, Beth
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11th January 2025 at 8:13 am
TO ADD THIS TO THIS POEM’S COMMENT:WELCOME BACK DAVID MOYES!!!
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27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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