|

In Estonia

Peter Goulding

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Estonia – the name fills us with dread
and makes the path ahead stonier.
We leave, armed with scarf, voice, hope and rattle
to do battle in Estonia.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 The chill of winter grips the barren land
and throttles the fair begonia.
Will we too wilt on the frozen mire
or light a fire in Estonia?

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Bony is the wolf, cloudy his thick breath
but death’s long fingers are bonier.
We must not flinch but grasp the flaming bough
that beckons now in Estonia.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 How pleasant now seem the far-flung mountains
and fountains of Patagonia!
Easier to scale them all than begin
to hope to win in Estonia.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Timid and caution, get thee hence to bed –
faint heart is wed to pneumonia.
Our battle cry must make the pale moon glow
and strike a blow in Estonia.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 FIFA’s sympathy last time was phony
but our baloney was phonier.
Let us hope that this time we’ll get it right
this Friday night in Estonia.

© Peter Goulding November 9th 2011

Notes

Written as part of an exercise at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-gymryd-anadl.html to write a poem using the archaic Welsh form, the toddaid.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/in-estonia/