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In the Beginning

Peter Goulding

Saturday, September 23rd, 2006

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 In the Beginning was The Ball,
The golden orb that doth enthrall,
Shining forth in brilliant light
Amid the blackness of the night,
A beacon to both young and old
To draw them all into the fold.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Then came players from the dark,
Drawn to the great celestial park,
Dribbling, passing, keeping goal
And practising their ball control.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 And those who could not make the grade
Stood back and watched as others played,
And clapped and cheered and chanted names
When they attended football games.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 And then, from out the blue appeared
The manager, both loved and feared,
Who organised the team to play
In his unique footballing way.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 In order to enforce the rules,
They sent some lads to special schools,
Where they were trained in twos and threes
To take the roles of referees.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 And as these football matches grew,
No longer were they free to view,
But chairmen came, all big and brash,
Attracted by the lure of cash
Who built great stadia to hold
Spectators by the thousandfold.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Behind the chairmen came directors
From bank and advertising sectors,
And then the girl who served the tea,
The Bovril and confectionery.
Groundsmen, turnstile operators
Scouts and bankers, small potatoes,
Kit man, physio, youth team coach,
All bonded by the one approach.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 And as the gates at matches swelled,
So the media were impelled
To get involved and send reporters
To inform all the game’s supporters.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 And then came satellite TV,
With pay per view and gadgetry,
Promoting in a censored way
The finer points of top team’s play.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 And as the cash came pouring in,
The players’ agents gave a grin,
And like a hungry pack of leeches,
Argued over contract breeches.

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 And then The Ball saw that the whole
Idea was beyond control
And, in a most dejected frame
Of mind, imploded at a game.
And with a deep and puzzled frown,
The whole shebang came tumbling down.

© Peter Goulding 23rd September 2006

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/in-the-beginning-2/