to faith in sometimes……… (survival of the wealthiest)
remember when we used to say
survival of the fittest
these days wealth is the new fitness it seems
but what is wealth
skill talent money or humour?
sometimes – in order to survive
we look to wealth –
that which we have
and that which we don’t
just to survive
to rise above and endure
the slings and euros
of other clubs’ outrageous fortunes
and by staying up somehow – to end them
long gone euphoria
long gone optimism
long gone early season aspirations
when fixtures blank were beckoning
with hopes high and soaring
such is this life – up and down
keeping afloat – flaunting riches – or feigning them
existing on the breadline
as poets – how like unknown footballers we are
torn forever twixt dreams of promotion
and nightmares of relegation
longing to love and be loved
from the Guardian to the Mirror
from OK to Hello
When Saturday Comes to 4-4-2
the stuff of dreams is classless..
hello reality -whatever it is
sometimes we forget
to remember
what came first
the football or the passion
the play or the players
the game or the glamour
and sometimes it’s hard to see
the Sky or the mountain
the game for the hype
the beauty for the tension
the wood for the trees
the quality – the result
but sometimes we remember
we are being breathed
sometimes we forget
both mountains will always be there
the mountains of things that we do
the mountains to climb and the view
and sometimes we feel
however high we climb
however much we move
we are still in the same place
but something moves
something changes
and something grows
what do you call it ?
i call it love
love of the game
love of football
love of believing
love of life
but sometimes
when we leave that crazy mountain
the endless pile that we create
to climb that living mountain
eyes open
hearts soar
time freezes
and we remember
to take a breath
and in that moment
wherever you stop
to choose a spot
maybe that is the very spot…
where
content with yourself
at peace with your team
wherever they began
and wherever they end up
a place to be
where grass grows under your feet
but the ball of your heart is in the air
a place to be you
a place to be grateful
a place to be free
a place to be safe
whatever safety means to you that is…
and in this life
surely
isn’t that
always
the best place to be?.
until next season that is……
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!
My Account
Latest Poems
Denys E. W. Jones
2nd October 2024
joe morris
2nd October 2024
Mike Bartram
30th September 2024
joe morris
26th September 2024
joe morris
19th September 2024
Clik The Mouse
18th September 2024
Clik The Mouse
18th September 2024
joe morris
16th September 2024
John Gilbert Ellis
12th September 2024
Beth Rogers
12th September 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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25th April 2024 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Joe,
you might like to write a poem yourself on the same subject…
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23rd April 2024 at 4:03 pm
Hi Denys
With you all the way on the abolition of FA Cup replays. What are they doing to the game?
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