Welcome to …. Anne & Josh
Conscious of the fact that poems don’t get to stay too long on the home page, because of the increasing popularity of the site, I’m going to use this editorial slot to occasionally showcase some of our new talent.
No favouritism is intended. Just a chance for newcomers to shine a little longer.
This week, a warm welcome to Anne Armstrong and also to Josh Hodkinson.
Barcelona v Celtic
A Spanish sea against a Scottish wall
Which team will win? You’d have to say, the waves
And yet the wall’s composure doesn’t crack
The teenage keeper makes stupendous saves.
Like torrents crashing down a waterfall
The Catalan attackers pound away;
Like rocks the Celts’ defence block each attack
A salmon leaps and twists amid the spray –
The keeper gathers, palms, tips every ball
Defenders check and smother each attempt
(Then give the ball away); we watch the clock
Still the waves come; the Spanish don’t relent.
We’re watching through our fingers; hopes were small
Without a goal, but neither side can score
The final whistle blows, and we’re in shock
Our throats are aching but our hearts can soar.
© Anne Armstrong
The Claret Way of Life
Football is a funny game, especially with the Clarets
Sometimes they play some cracking stuff, sometimes they play like carrots
They leave their fans like nervous wrecks, just like the Orient Game
But time and time and time again, they manage to sustain
The familiar sight of Stan the Man, that comic genius
He marshals our claret warriors, even when they’re tedious
But several painful years ago, when ITV shamed us all
We spat at their dirty dealing, we said, “They won’t destroy football”
We battled on, though hard it was, to get a solid squad
We tried some of our youngsters and Chaplow got the nod
He quickly grew and rightly so, was part of England’s plan
And he grew and grew in stature as he stunned us, as he can
So on and on the story goes, of struggle at Turf Moor
Some fans have gone, leaving just the best, of Ternent’s great support
We know it’s tough, and downright hard, but what’s all that to us?
We battle through, like we always do, and show that we’ve got guts
So the fight goes on, and day by day, we battle to the end
So come what may, on judgement day, for us Clarets always mend
© Josh Hodkinson 24/03/04
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
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joe morris
24th September 2023
Alex Saynor
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22nd September 2023
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21st September 2023
John Gilbert Ellis
20th September 2023
joe morris
20th September 2023
Phil Brennan
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John Gilbert Ellis
19th September 2023
joe morris
17th September 2023
Gacina Bozidar
16th September 2023
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
24th September 2023 at 5:14 pm
Very accurate indeed!
Palace home for me is always a tough journey as well. From the wilds of west London to Selhurst is a random journey into the unknown.
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20th September 2023 at 1:37 pm
Lovely stuff for one of the best.
We love him to death down at the Palace.
I’ll post my Roy poem a bit later. You’ve inspired me to finish it.
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19th September 2023 at 5:06 pm
I’d like to think some of my scarves might get passed down the generations, but can’t see some of the “quality merchandise” I have making much past my son’s generation. They’ll fall apart before he even has kids, I reckon!
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7th September 2023 at 2:43 pm
Very true Crispin. Thanks!
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3rd September 2023 at 6:55 pm
Play Up Pompey indeed Richard .
My first ever proper game when i was 10 was Chelsea 7-4 Pompey on Xmas morning 1959, Greavesie got 4.
First visited Fratton Park with Chelsea (2-2) and stood among loads of sailors back in the old Second Dvision early 60s . That’s when I first heard the Pompey Chimes..
Last visited in the mid 2000s to run a football poetry workshop on racism with local young students in the Study Centre you had then at the time.
Had a great chat with some of your fans when you came here to Forest Green last season…
best wishes
Crispin
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1st September 2023 at 7:17 pm
Cliché heaven or hell..we get it all
Welcome to Football Poets John
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28th August 2023 at 10:54 am
Thanks Crispin – noted re the boxer! Never know, perhaps we’ll get Forest Green in the cup… or Chelsea!
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27th August 2023 at 4:47 pm
Hey Rowan
Tough line up of opening fixtures but werlcome to the National League and to Football Poets.
I’ve often passed your ground but never actually been.
Had to remove the boxert poem , sorry ….only poems about football, though i did read your tenuous link!
best wishes
Crispin -Editor
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6th August 2023 at 3:46 pm
Don’t worry Apollo, I have examined the evidence on YouTube – he looks great, the real deal!
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7th July 2023 at 5:26 pm
Let’s Hope for your sake Denys, that he doesn’t turn out to be from La-la-Land!
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