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Betting Shop Blues

mark merriman

Monday, February 6th, 2006

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Crumpled fiver in my hand,
I stroll down to the bookie,
entering the promised land
for wager on the footie.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Murmur of hushed voices
from a furtive clientele
who are making all their choices
for the racing at Fontwell.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Hunched before the tv screens,
old boys fill in their coupons:
9-4, 2-1 and evens
for the likes of Everton.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Perched astride a tall, green stool,
I study all the matches;
desp’rate for a cash windfall
and watching out for catches.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 ‘X’ marks the spot for five draws,
roughly one from each division;
hoping that my thoughts aren’t flawed
thus risking sons’ derision.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 With five aways I’ve had success,
once earning fifty pounds,
but recently I’ve won much less-
in fact a zero, round.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 I often take a gamble
on a correct score double,
hoping Titus Bramble
won’t score to burst my bubble.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Three results from each section
is the hardest of the lot.
Fifteeen correct predictions
or no winnings, not one jot.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 I hand over crumpled note
to a chap with hacking cough
and, picking up my coat,
I’m ready for the off.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 At the door of betting shop,
I turn round to take a peek
at the punters who can’t stop;
I’ll be back again next week.

Notes

My first experiment with a fixed odds coupon ended with success at university: £20 for a line of 7 homes. Since then I’ve been hooked. Well I can take it or leave it………….. no, really!

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/betting-shop-blues/