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Observe the Sons of Linfield Marching Towards the Tolka

Peter Goulding

Thursday, May 26th, 2005

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The question was, should we pay heed
To tales that had been woven
About this pagan Northern breed
With hoofs that had been cloven?

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 We knew they ate their babies for
‘Twas documented fully,
And spent their squalid lives in ador-
-Ation of “King Bully.”

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Their hardened eyes betray no smile,
No vestige of good humour.
They plot their thuggish deeds with guile,
According to the rumour.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 For these were not of woman born,
Not sanctified or holy,
But rather, were the Devil’s spawn,
Their evil spreading slowly.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 We tried to warn our noble youth
About the trouble loomin’,
For tiny horns betray the truth
That Proddies are not human.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 The havoc they would surely wreak
Upon our population
Was far too horrible to speak.
We prayed for our salvation.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 BUT when they came, they showed no trace
Of this inherent violence.
They stood, and with a solemn grace
Observed the minute’s silence.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 The thousands that had driven down
Seemed ordin’ry supporters,
Enjoying their day out in town
With wives and sons and daughters.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 No whiff of sulphur in the air,
No bloodstains on their clothing,
No screaming, writhing souls laid bare,
No fear, no hate, no loathing.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 The stands around were all a-buzz,
For this was unexpected.
In fact, they looked a lot like us,
Which no-one had suspected.

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 They took our chanting with a grin,
Engaged in friendly banter,
And cheered their team to glory in
The match of the Setanta.

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 This has to be a fiendish plot
To lower our defences,
A scheming tactic, like as not,
Confounding all our senses.

13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 How can they just be normal folk,
With such a reputation?
This had to be the cruellest joke
To play upon this nation.

© Peter Goulding 26th May 2005

Notes

Shels 0 Linfield 2 Inaugural Setanta Cup Final.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/observe-the-sons-of-linfield-marching-towards-the-tolka/