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One step back for England

joe morris

Saturday, November 26th, 2022

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Now this feels like a throwback
To England’s setbacks
The realisation of an American
Dream. For 1950 World Cup
Read 2010 in South Africa
When Rob Green fumbled and
Steven Gerrard scored but
Then British TV audiences
Were fooled into thinking otherwise
England had won a car
For reaching that point
Advertisers prioritised
Cars over the Beautiful Game
And yet again
Last night England humbled
By the Yankee Doodle Dandy
Of vast, enormous commerce
Burgers the size of houses
Houses the sizes of baps
Candy for breakfast, tea
And supper
Still England faltering
In the face of American
Theme parks, unashamed
Disney childhood,
Where chat shows and
Stars and stripes celebrations
And singing, dancing revels
Send electrical currents
Through yet more vibrant
New York, LA salt beef bars
The lavishness of the night
In Florida and California
But surely not English football
Or soccer. Of course
My and your American friends
A thriving culture from
Both sides of the pond,
Crossing the Atlantic with style
Undoubtedly
So much so that yesterday
The USA did it again
Surprising but not this time
Leave that baseball and helmet
American football tradition
In its rightful place
England last night almost
Played off the park by
The distant relatives of Uncle Sam
Surrealism it seems but
This is the real thing
A goal-less draw between
Blighty and the USA
Gasp with deep inward
Breaths of amazement
When Pulisic hit the woodwork
An English winter street festival
Almost stopped the music
Permanently
England silenced again
But surely qualification
For knock outs assured
But Welsh dragons still
Blowing out fire
And yet have they five goals
In them to break English hearts?
We fear not but who knows
England and Wales it’s over to you.

Notes

England are held to a goal-less draw by the USA. A setback but surely qualification to the knock out round of World Cup of 2022 all but confirmed.

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/one-step-back-for-england/