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A life at The Lane

Laurence Cotterell

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 I have never spent more money,
for so little gain,
than on my years at White Hart Lane.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 I have slept the night outside the stark ground,
In 1981 coughing in the rain,
for tickets to the Replay Final Game.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 I have hidden under an ambulance,
to avoid Chelsea fans,
angry at my friend wearing a tan.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 I have been crushed against the barriers,
pushed around by old-style, old-bill,
and threatened by Millwall fans on the kill.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 I have suffered diarrhoea until my stomach cried,
From your well-priced rancid pies,
And watched players consumed with ennui.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 I have bought all of your rainbowed shirts,
embraced their absence of style or team colours,
Just so you can exploit me for another dollar.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 But I have seen romantic poetry articulated on grass,
Hoddle, Klinsmann, Gazza and Galvin on the wing,
All made the joy-shy years worth living.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 This once proud postcode housed all my family – long gone,
they cheered the passing of cups and teams,
and all born within the sound of N17.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 For a few extra pounds of filthy loot,
you will take us to Stratford to the rampant shame,
of those who live, riot and worship at White Hart Lane.

© Laurence Cotterell 17/8/11

Notes

It would be nice if THFC made Tottenham a better place to live than try to run away from it.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/a-life-at-the-lane/