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For Alistair Wilkinson

Peter Goulding

Thursday, October 7th, 2004

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The schoolyard kids support Man U,
So what’s a ten year old to do?
Should he rise and buck the trends,
Invite the scorn of all his friends?
Should he remain alone in school,
And take the loud-mouthed ridicule?
Playground rule, though clearly hated,
Should not be underestimated.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 We like to think our kids imbued
With stoic moral fortitude,
To stand alone and hold their ground,
Whilst enemies beset them round.
Principled and tunnel-visioned,
With strengthened standards well-provisioned,
To face the world with chin so bold,
A fearless, high-browed ten years old.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 But it is more in nature’s scheme
To want to join a gang or team,
To be a part and yes, belong
To classroom’s middle-roaded throng,
To share the dreams, enact the joys
With other likewise-minded boys.
And so, to dodge the random flak,
One must of course run with the pack.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 But don’t despair, my proud young dad!
This phase is often just a fad,
A suit of armour, till it’s time
For adulthood to reach it’s prime,
When he’ll be confident enough
To cast off all that Man U stuff,
And come back to the childhood ground,
To which he’s much more firmly bound.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 So do not fret if he should seem
More drawn to that Utopian team.
And do not think he needs protection
From this temporary affection.
Show the way with deed not word,
Although he deems your ways absurd,
And you will find a deeper friend
Who’ll share your passion in the end.

© Peter Goulding 7th October 2004

Notes

Congratulations to yourself and the wife, Alistair.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/for-alistair-wilkinson/?shared=email&msg=fail