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Taking penalties ‘gainst Grandad

Peter Goulding

Friday, January 11th, 2008

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Taking penalties ‘gainst Grandad improved my skills no end,
He couldn’t shuffle very fast and found it hard to bend.
Hard and low to left or right
Would send me whooping with delight.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 A Franny Lee spectacular quite often wouldn’t pay –
He hadn’t the agility to move out of the way.
‘Twas better far to make the most
Of that great gap ‘twixt him and post.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Whene’er one came too close to him, he’d stretch a spindly leg,
Proclaiming very loudly “Are you watching, Harry Gregg?”
And then he’d wobble and I’d freeze,
Afraid the shot would break his knees.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Ironically, he’d been a decent goalie in his youth,
But to a cocky eight year old was too long in the tooth.
Looking back, of course, I see
The agony he bore for me.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 And then we’d wander slowly home and chat about the world,
The size of Swifty’s giant hands and how a ball was curled,
Me with wonderment and awe,
Him with joints all stiff and sore.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 When Grandma saw him hobble in, she’d give it to him straight,
Scolding him for coming home in such a sorry state.
But when she turned, he’d wink at me
And grin conspiratorially.

© Peter Goulding 11th January 2008

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/taking-penalties-gainst-grandad/