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96 Reasons

Mark Ballard

Thursday, September 9th, 2004

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 96 people – far too great a number,
Life squeezed out of them, they went under.
Under the crush, with no means of escape,
No justice, though the events are all on tape.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Think just how large the number 96 is.
When you’re thinking of that day remember this.
There were 12 disciples, it’s a 7 year itch,
2 lottery draws each week to make people rich.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 In each lottery draw 49 numbers going,
And each match we sing ‘There’s only 1 Michael Owen’.
But there’s 96 stars that shine extra bright.
96 reasons we continue to fight.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 It must have been awful to be around in the wake,
It wasn’t a natural tragedy like an earthquake.
I don’t think I’d have coped in the days and weeks after,
Trying to comprehend this man-made disaster.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Let down by those whose actions they were forced to trust,
Let down that day, and for years as the law turned to dust.
96 died and we all know who is to blame,
Cheif Superintendant Duckenfield, hang your head in shame.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Each time I go to the memorial, I am pained to see,
The names of more and more people who were younger than me.
The last time I counted it was 39,
It could have been me in a different time.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 I stand and think to myself where would they be now,
Though I still struggle with the why and the how.
An unnecessary waste of lives filled with light,
96 reasons we continue to fight.

Notes

Although Michael Owen is no longer a Liverpool player, the basis of this poem I wrote last year is still there. It was written to show just how many people 96 is. They died due to incompetence, and no-one has yet been held accountable.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/96-reasons/