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Flags (June 2010)

Jim Bennett

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 yesterday
the flag of St George
was everywhere;
flying from plastic sticks
wedged in car windows
on T shirts
seats, bear cans, sneekers

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 it’s that peculiar time
when we all think
the England football team
can win the world cup
don’t laugh
I actually saw it happen once
when I was young
my dad was alive
full of enthusiasm
for a game he hardly ever watched
and seldom understood

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 that time they won
this time though
it was like every other time
the songs grow silent
the chears turn to groans
and familiar after burn of defeat
settles in
we knew though didn’t we
after all when did they ever get it right
after that peculiar particular day in ‘66
they never got close again

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 this morning
after the overpaid relics of
English football dragged our flag across
the South African veldt
Tesco’s have marked
flag bearing merchandise
less than half price
and that is still more
than the whole team was worth

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/flags-june-2010/