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He Even Makes the Trains Run On Time

Stuart Butler

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 It was déjà vu all over again,
But with a football boot in the present:
Trains full of fans but without the toilet rolls;
A minibus of men but stone cold sober;
One woman in a pub – reading a kindle;
Swindon railway village, now full of cars;
Union Jack flags, “Swindon Till I die”,
Though with a multicultural fan base;
A Quaker protests against the Afghan War –
Shops shout Afghan internet access;
“Salubritas et Industria” badges,
But Budweiser and unemployment;
A grandstand view of the downs and Christ Church,
Then office blocks and magic roundabout;
“Irreducibili” proclaims Stratton Bank,
(The letters smaller at the banner’s end –
A visual-linguistic paradox)
But “Who needs Mourinho? We’ve got Di Canio”
Shouts the Town End as the wintry sun descends.
We return to the raucous railway station,
Having watched a match, broadcast live to Rome;
Globalisation with local pride:
He even makes the trains run on time.

© Stuart Butler

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/he-even-makes-the-trains-run-on-time/