Making A Difference Kick It Out Poems 05 & 04
ALL! – October 2005
BLACK HISTORY MONTH / KICK IT OUT 2005
It’s Black History Month & KICK IT OUT WEEK 2005!
ALBERT NYATHI (Premier Performance Poet of Zimbabwe) and I were invited to perform together at the UK Launch of KICK IT OUT WEEK, which took place at the F.A. Headquarters in Soho Square on Tuesday 11th October.Huge thanks to Piara & Kate at Kick it Out . I’ve incuded Albert’s wonderful Kick it Out poem here ,written on arrival in the UK at the start of his band’s tour when we went together to the Charity Shield match in Cardiff! Albert’s and the kids Kick it Out poems from this year and last year follow….
FANS and FOOLS (for Kick it Out)
I see a sea of citizens milling,
Scattered, seated, standing, swaying
They are swerving, sweating, swinging
Singing and sighing
They are steaming and streaming
Football fans and fools alike
Fans cheer at the sight of the colour of the jersey
Fools jeer at the sight of the colour of the skin
Football fans and fools
They shout and share the joy of a win
They shout and share the sorrows of a defeat
Yes one team has to win.
Tell me then, how does the colour of the skin come in?
Racism is cancer eroding the human spirit
Racism is for imbeciles
Bent on destroying human relations
Bent on destroying the good that mankind has built
I shudder to imagine what would happen
If the world had one race
Look, if we had red roses only for flowers
No white roses, no lilies, nor daffodils
I do not want to imagine
How the jungle would look like
If we had lions only for animals
No leopards, no jackals, nor giraffes
I hesitate to imagine
What the roads would look like
If we had BMWs only for cars
No Ford, no Toyota nor Volvo
No Limousines nor tractor even?
Please do not ask me to imagine
What it would be like
If all of us just agreed on everything
If all of us had one opinion
If all of us looked alike
Were of the same height
Same weight
Same colour of skin
Same nose shapes
Same colour of hair?
Some have to have big noses
Others have to have small eyes
Some have to be tall like giraffes
Others big and baggy like baby elephants
Yet others short and stocky like rabbits.
So we need blacks
We need whites
We need Asians
We need the Chinese
We need everybody
To beautify the world
Do not tell me
You do not envy
the beauty of the rainbow
So, come on, let us beautify the world
With our different colours
Stand up and be counted
Stand up
@Albert Nyahti 11.10.2005
( Written for KIO Week and performed at FA HQ.Soiho. )
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ABOUT THIS YEAR’S WORKSHOPS …
This year we are back and busy work-shopping our way around the capital and beyond doing our stuff for KIO at Chelsea,Fulham, QPR & West Ham United and two prisons in Wales all as part of Kick It Out Week ..Big .thanks to Peter D at Westminster Archives Suzie at Chelsea FC- Education Through Football, Carlos & Jamie at West Ham Learing Centre & Jude at Fulham FC…CRISPIN
OCTOBER WORKSHOPS 2005
5/6 MORPETH King Edward V1 School
11 LONDON FA HQ SOHO Official Launch Of Kick it Out Week 05
15 PADDINGTON Library (Chelsea FC) with IMBONGI & Albert Nyathi
19 FULHAM FC
20 WEST HAM UNITED LEARNING ZONE
21 WEST HAM UNITED LEARNING ZONE
22 BARONS CT Library Chelsea FC with IMBONGI & Albert Nyathi
25 USK & PRESCOED Prisons with Ted smith Orr
31 QPR (Nat Literacy Trust-Reading The Game)
KICK IT OUT WEEK & BLACK HISTORY MONTH
ANTI-RACISM POEMS/ARTHUR WHARTON/PAUL CANOVILLE 2005
Chelsea FC Education through Football/making A Difference
Poems on the theme of the Role of Black Role Models In Football…
PADDINGTON CHILDREN’S LIBRARY SAT OCT 15TH 2005
FOOTBALL IS…..
football is a game than anyone can play
football is amazing players with stunning skills
football is crazy fans running onto the perfect mowed pitch
football is a sea of blue
football is diving quick goalies and skilled players in their cool shirts
football would be rubbish without Claude Makelele & Thierry Henry!
football is something my dad is always watching
football is wonderful
football is a place
where racism does not belong
Group Poem (from one-liners from the children!)
Paddington Library 15.10.05
—————————————————————-
PAUL CANOVILLE WAS
Paul Canoville was….
the first black Chelsea player
abused by the crowd
from London but his parents were from Jamaica
Paul Canoville was….
forgotten throughout the years
Paul Canoville was….
the bravest person alive who never gave up
even when they did Nazi salutes
Paul Canoville was sent letters saying
If he goes on the pitch – bang – he will be dead.
Paul Canoville was
threatened – he didn’t back down
without Paul Canovllle
Thierry Henry wouldn’t be on the pitch today
Paul Canoville was…….
an inspiration – a role model
playing 100 years after Arthur Wharton
Paul Canoville was a brave hero
what would we have done without Paul Ccanoville?
@Nicole Amazing -St Mary of The Angels (Aged 9)
————————————————————————–
PAUL CANOVILLE WAS…..
Paul Canoville was
the bravest man in England and the World
Paul Canoville was born in 1962
Paul Canoville was from London
Paul Canoville was hurt by people
saying horrible things to him
Paul Canoville was told
“If you play for Chelsea we will kill you!”
Paul Canoville was so important
because he was playing
100 years after Arthur Wharton
Paul Canoville was ….a hero
@ Eruehjin Zorigtbaatar (11 yrs old)
St James & St Micheal’s School
————————————————————-
PAUL CANOVILLE OUR HERO
Paul Canoville was…..
…a hero who proved the racists wrong…
…strong and ignored their comments
…never a coward
…threatened but he didn’t give up
..Chelsea’s first black player
…a huge part of Chelsea’s history
Paul Canoville Was…..
..able to help other black players to play today
..playing 100 years after Arthur Wharton
Paul Canoville Was…..
…an inspiration to others
Paul Canoville is our hero..
@ Niaamatallah Amir Age 10- Queens Park Primary School
15.10.05
———————————————————————-
BEAT THEM WITH SKILL
Beat them Paul
Beat them Paul with skills
Beat them with your strength
Don’t let them hurt you
Don’t let them stop you
Don’t let them put you down
Come back come back Paul
Don’t let them take your dreams away..
Sam St Mary’s School 15.10.05
———————————————————
FROM NAZI SALUTES TO CHEERS
Bullied by a group of 50-100 people chanting
There’s only one Chelsea nigger”
he must have felt bad and unwanted.
I don’t think it happens as much as it did then
to Claude Makelele and Thierry Henry
Paul proved them wrong – by winding them up –
playing every week and not doing what they wanted him to do
Paul had them right where he wanted them.
Then appeared a mini-sea of blue
with hands up high
cheering him
instead of the Nazi salutes.
He was the star of Chelsea
he was the bigger person
he proved all the racist people wrong
he was Paul Canoville
@Mariva Boloyon -Queen’s Park Primary School (aged 10)
—————————————————————–
PAUL CANOVILLE & KICKING OUT RACISM
Amazing players with stunning skill
“Get out- get out!” the crowds they say
Fans send abusive messages
He did not listen he kept on playing
He dreamed of football
He proved racists wrong
Scored fantastic goals
Like no-one has ever done
So why do people say such nasty things
Let’s kick out racism with skills forever
Like Paul
@ Immam – Queen’s Park 15.10.05
——————————————————————
IGNORE THEM!
Come out onto the pitch
Don’t let them butt you
You are as strong as a rock
Don’t let them deter you.
Use your skills and win the game
Black footballers of the world
Let your dreams guide you through
And soon you’ll be the best
Ignore them and believe in yourself
anon Paddington 15.10.05
————————————————–
KICK OUT RACISM FOR PAUL
Football is a game
White and black they are the same
They all have geat names
But racism only brings sorrow and pain
You beat them all
You did it Paul
You heard the call
But you didn’t fall
So once again you did it Paul
Zahair Hassan 15.10.05 – Paddington Library
——————————————————————-
KICK OUT RACISM NOW!
racism racism kick it out
beat it Wharton with your keeping
you run so fast
that you blow racism out of football!
Chelsea Chelsea
better than Arsenal
with Lampard scoring lots of goals
Chelsea Chelsea
you’re one of the best
you’ll nearly always beat your foes
Joe Cole Joe Cole
you’re the best player for Chelsea
Miles Theo – Paddington 15.10.05
————————————————————-
RACISM
he was the star
and hero of Chelsea
he was the bigger person
bullied by a group of people in the crowd
he proved everyone wrong
he was Paul Canoville
anon PADDINGTON LIBRARY 15.10.05
————————————————————–
‘Making a Difference’ PADDINGTON CHILDREN’S LIBRARY
SAT OCT 9TH 2004
ARTHUR WHARTON
First black man to play in Britain
Found it hard to try and fit in
Fastest man the world could know
Record sprinter but stuck in goal
Not good enough for England because he was black
But I think he’s the best and that’s a fact
He came from Ghana and here found fame
Buried, unmarked, no gravestone, no name.
Benji Marfo aged 10
St Gabriel’s School
———————————————————-
The First Black Player for Chelsea
Your family came over on the Windrush
From the hot beautiful Jamaica
To the grim grey London
Knocking on doors trying to find somewhere to live
But all they found was
NO BLACKS NO IRISH NO DOGS
So unwelcome but they didn’t give up
But neither did you Paul
It’s the twelfth of April 1982
Your Chelsea debut
Warming up at Crystal Palace
Chelsea fans were screaming their malice
Making you feel unwelcome
But what could you do Paul?
Stand or Bend?
You stood firm Paul
You never gave up
You’re my hero Paul
You’re my role model
Nadine Charlemagne aged 10
Westminster Cathedral RC Primary
—————————————————–
Paul Canoville
Played for Chelsea
Always a blue
Unhappy, not wealthy
Loved by a few
Could always play football
And played on the wing
Never was bad
And known as a king
Very sad because of bullies
Ignorant and racist, STOP!
Leave me alone, you cowards
Even know, I made it to the top.
Siphiwe Musumga, 10, St Matthew’s School
————————————————————–
Paul Canoville
Paul’s family came from Jamaica and had a hard time too,
Just as Paul had on his debut
They came off the Windrush and looked for a room,
But there were signs saying, ‘No blacks, no Irish, no dogs.’
They could have given up just like you could have, Paul
But you were so brave
To stick up for the blues.
You did it in spite of the chants and the boos.
Elsie Gray and Clare Manning, 10, Westminster Cathedral School
——————————————————————-
Paul Canoville
Penalties will end the game
All blue men with make us proud
Unhappy and great
Lunge and shoot
Can always play a wonderful game
Alone, but good
Nothing will stop him from being a blue
Open and ready
Volley a goal to win the game
I and my colour will stand up front
Lonely on the subs bench at Crystal Palace
Lacking love by some and praised by others
Everyone will know he is a true blue.
Bobbie Wells, 10, St Matthew’s CE Primary
———————————————————–
Canoville
Chelsea player
Abused for playing football
Now he’s at the top
Of the league
Victim of colour
Ignorance from another
Little bit famous
Liked by a few
Everyone remembers Chelsea’s first black player.
Besart Zymberi, 10, Millbank
—————————————————————-
‘Paul Canoville’
I saw the salutes
By my own blue-shirted fans,
I saw their anger
Through their pointed hands
I thought that they liked me
But now I know they don’t support me
because of the colour of my skin
Now I’m going to fight for black people’s rights
from this day in
Because I’m a player, not because of my colour,
give me a chance and give me a cheer.
Isabel O’Callaghan, 10, St Matthews
———————————————————————-
‘Didier Drogba’
He’s fast and furious
He’s the hitman for the blues
He’s a skillful player
Win or lose
He’s like a spider
Catch him if you can
Waiting to pounce
He’s a good packer man
He’s a giant in the air
He’s black and he’s proud
And when he scores
I scream out loud.
Jed Faulkner, 10, St Matthew’s Primary
——————————————————————-
Hasselbaink
Holland is his country
And Middlesborough is his club
Striker, strong and skillful
Stupendous super-sub
Long fast distance runner
Emirates flew him high
Blue was his team, but now he wears red
A single touch and then a goal
Incisive
Nutmeg’s defenders on the way to the box
Knocks it over the keeper at the last tick of the clock
Connor Clark, 10, St Peter’s Eaton Square
——————————————————————
‘
Chelsea FC Education through Football/Kick it out Campaign
‘Making a Difference’
As part of the Chelsea FC Education though Football programme, children from 17 Westminster Primary schools have been looking at the lives of two black footballers during ‘Kick it Out’ week. Westminster Archives Education Officer, Peter Daniel ran sessions in all of the schools on two players, Arthur Wharton and Paul Canoville. Arthur was the first black footballer in Britain, but first became famous when he set a new world record for the 100 yard dash at Stamford Bridge in 1886. This was nearly 20 years before football came to the ground in 1905. The children were then taken forward nearly a hundred years to the 12th April 1982 to hear the story of Chelsea’s first black player, Paul Canoville and his debut at Crystal Palace. Both players faced quite shocking prejudice and discrimination but in the way they triumphed over adversity they helped to ‘make a difference’ for every black player that followed them.
To celebrate Arthur and Paul’s lives, children were given the chance to come to Pimlico Library on Saturday 9th October and Paddington Children’s Library on the 16th October and given the opportunity to work with the Football Poets. Crispin Thomas, Ted Smith-Orr and Elliott ‘EllJay’ Joseph. They helped to inspire the kids to write poetry and they then had a chance to sit down with artist Marysia Lachowicz to incorporate these words into ‘pop-art’ style posters featuring the images of the two players concerned. On 4th November one child from each school attended a poetry slam at the Cockpit Theatre, London NW8 to establish Chelsea’s champion poem from ‘Kick it Out’ week. John Terry,Roy Bentley,Paul Elliott , The Pensioners and The Fooball Poets were also there to celebrate with them.
PETER DANIELS/ WESTMINSTER ARCHIVES & LIBRARIES.Dec 04.
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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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Latest Comments
27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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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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