|

The Revolution Will Be Live!

kevin raymond

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Stick and stones as most kids know
May break your bones and hurt you
Shout a racist name at a football game?
That’s ok if no-ones heard you.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 We can hear it out there clear as day
It’s as rife as if a plague
We know which fans, heard what they say
They ain’t stood that far away.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Well maybe that’s about to change
From a story I’ve heard today
“You don’t hear racist chants at a football game”
And a handshake don’t make them go away.*1

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Cocooned in the safety of numbers
Hurling vitriolic chants from the stands
Their victim decided ”I’ve taken enough”
Angrily punting the ball toward the fans.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Marching toward his aggressors
Stood cowering some distance away
He tore off his shirt, and professed to the ref
“Enough, I ain’t playing this game.”

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 His AC Milan teammates followed
With The Football rightly forgotten once more
How long do inept authorities expect us to swallow,
Their languid retort, of a replay behind closed doors?

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 We’ve heard the campaigning, seen all the ads
Watched those guilty receive paltry fines
Have this Prince amongst men, alongside AC Milan
With their stance, made one massive step for mankind?

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Seems fitting that a Prince should stand up to the bigots
Instead of ignoring these attacks, as we’ve seen
I’ve a feeling his approach to the racists, we wish rid of
Could make history like “I Have A Dream.”*2

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 I’m reminded of the words by an idol on mine*
As this act of unity gains momentum and flies
The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
Will not be televised
The Revolution Will No Re-run Brothers,
The Revolution Will Be Live! *3

© Kev 2013

Notes

The both brave and united stance by Kevin Prince Boatang, and The AC Milan club against racism in Italy this week could well be a turning point in history and footballs long arduous fight against the bigots I feel.

My poem suggests that we’ve tried a lot of other stuff and it clearly ain’t worked, so maybe this brave show of unity will.

*1 A quote from Sepp (inept) Blatter about just shaking hands and then forgetting about the racist abuse of a fellow player during the game!&!ӣ$%^ Yeah right Sepp right.

2* The famous quote from Dr Martin Luther King. American civil rights leader and campaigner.

3* The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is a wonderful poem by Gil Scott-Heron sadly missed poet and civil rights activist and son of the first black man to play in goal for Glasgow Celtic.

Go well and be lucky.

Carefree……

Peace.

Kev.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-revolution-will-be-live/