Football Poets

Euros 2020

So close to Euro victory over England
So here we are on the
Verge of something, indefinable
Inexplicable, mysterious and elusive
The coin we were searching for in
Dusty attics of yesterday
But oh not this time, it’s only football
Again, it’s always been that way
Resignation to our fate, the doomed
Scenario of gallantry, runner up
Or nowhere in particular
Humiliated in front of so many folks
Like us, cowering away in the corner
Hiding from the inevitable
But hold on England are in the quarter finals
They could or may have to wait their time
To be ordained European champions
Because the scenario is so painfully familiar
If only it had rained for two hours before or one
It would have made such a significant difference
Before the match against you know who
The Germans. Oh it had to be them
But hey didn’t we see them in our rear view
Mirror before or maybe it was a figment of
Our imagination.
In defeat against the Germans in the dim and distant past
We accepted they were better but could hardly bear to
Mention them in the same breath because it was just
Repetitive, insistent, like the hammering and drilling
Our neighbours used to make but then kindly stopped
This time it wasn’t mechanical or structured
Or just England throwing in the towel of surrender
Because we’d been to Iceland five years ago
They’d run out of chocolate ice cream
So we went next door
And hoped it would never happen again.
This time finally we’d got it right for once
Football lent a helping hand
When viruses were in full spate
That musical band that echoed around
Wembley’s portals and corridors
We’d given Europe our Citizen Kane,
Maguire of this noble manor, when
Sterling was worth its weight
in gold, purity of motion and emotion
The currency of today and tomorrow
And eternally, the sprinkling of Rice
On this auspicious day, an emperor
Over all, then Phillips and Saka
Broke the mould
Class is permanent
Forever England in the warmest fold.

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Euro 2020: RSS heart

Haters gotta hate
But the best rebuttals, come from the people
The community who care
The populace who placate, who wrap us up in a placenta of refuge
Who swaddle with true warmth
And draw us all together

Such is the response
To the three boys who missed a penalty
As Rashford’s mural
Turns from wailing wall, graffiti’d by guttersnipes
To a wall of prayer, compassion and appreciation
More truly reflecting
A be-smitten Nation!

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Euro 2020: Wrong doorbell

It was meant to be coming home –
it really was
but then we lost our way
the Sat Gav broke down
and the AA rescue van, with Pickford at the wheel
never made it past the pesky roundabout of penalties

and so once again
our Nation dutifully ensures
that our shores
are lined with bitter tears
and that the flotsam of “what ifs”
litters our minds

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It’s at the front door……

I’ve shredded wheat
I’ve shredded steel
But my shredded nerves
Brought added zeal!

A soft penalty?
Well whether Scandinavian or Saracen
They’d say melted ice cream –
Solid by comparison!

But it’s coming home
Hollers the welcome mat
And should dreams come true…
Well I’ll doff my hat!

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TFF Haiku

Is it coming home?
Expectancy, fear and doubt
Shout, let it all out

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Four Nil, would you Adam n Eve it!

“You crane your neck, and I’ll crane mine”
and so we witnessed three headed goals
nod after nod after nod
all following a calming prod
an early goal, from an up-front Harry
the one so far, that Raz has had to carry

now it’s:
you Kane – them not very able
to dine at our table

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