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Hail the Horse (West Bromwich Albion v Portsmouth: May 15th 2005)

Jo Richards

Monday, July 18th, 2005

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The Horse lies left-side-down on green, green turf,
so still that he could almost be asleep,
slowly stretches steel-forged sinews
to extend a studded boot one inch beyond the thin, white line.
Drawn in, as if by magnets, to the Zone,
this questing foot alone betrays his hunger for the fight.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 The Horse is beautiful, but he is man not boy,
well past the age when to be young and fabulously fit is all the eye requires.
He is so solid: flesh, bones, dense with strength of purpose.
As he rises, every reflex is responsive; each muscle knows its job.
The eyes are carnivore: all focus, nothing missed;
the roaring crowd might not exist.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 The Horse is skipping, darting, dancing on the touchline.
He is limber and alert.
He knows he can deliver, wears the mantle of belief.
It is time; the Horse is ready.
He is stripped down to his stripes,
revealing number nine emblazoned bloody on his back.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Announced by lights, he gains the field,
high-fives a lanky, long-haired lad retreating from the fray,
acknowledges the anthem sung exclusively for him
(to the tune of Bread of Heaven)
Feed the Horse! Feed the Horse! Feed the Horse and he will score.
Feed the Horse and he will score.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 This Horse is the last hero in his General’s hand of cards.
He is Praetorian, Imperial, the Panzer tank of strikers:
his purpose is to act – not think:
fearless, unremitting, do or die.
Trot… canter… gallop;
the Horse takes up position, watches for the chance…

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 … which comes in less than thirty seconds.
Swivel… target… volley…Whoosh!
The stadium erupts into a cataclysm of joy.
There’s football history in the making: the Great Escape is on,
so hail the Horse! Hail the Horse!
Today, he is the one.

© Joanne Richards 22 May 2005

Notes

Watching Geof Horsfield warm up to come on for a sub for West Bromwich Abion on survival Sunday, I was inspired. Fortunately, so was he!

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/hail-the-horse-west-bromwich-albion-v-portsmouth-may-15th-2005/