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Poems tagged ‘Wall Chart’

My New Free World Cup Wall Chart 2026

Crispin Thomas

Sunday, June 7th, 2026

the George Cross flags mean something else
than all the times before
when they would fly at World Cup time
but not much any more
the local pubs are struggling now
away across this land
and FIFA’s made the tournament
beyond the faithful fan
while Trump and Infantino
have torn our game apart
they’ve ripped its’soul and made their goal
to fleece us from the start
but I won’t let their glaring greed
destroy my love at all
’cause I’ve got my free World Cup Chart
right here upon my wall

I nabbed it from some café
inside a Sunday Times
while on the front lay pictures
of yet more stark war crimes
from Tehran on to Gaza
from Moscow to Ukraine
where Donald’s stuck his oar in
and meddled once again
I used to get excited
my days were neatly planned
I’d watch and listen to it all
with my pen in hand

in ’58 I had one
I stayed up late at night
saw Pelé on our first TV
right there in black and white
it seems so strange and diff’rent now
I almost feel ashamed
to be beside my tv screen
and sit to watch a game
I feel like a hypocrite
I know I’m not alone
what happened to the magic
of tournaments we’ve known?
but all those days are gone now
they’re distant memories
when we’d repeat the games in streets
with lamp-posts coats and trees
but I’ll still follow England
and get behind Ukraine
and even shout for Scotland
well ev’ry now and then
and I guess I’ll get drawn in
no matter what I say
the colour and the spectacle
the shocks along the way
and though my heart is sad now
each time they kick the ball
right from the start I’ll fill my chart
once more upon my Wall

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My Euro 24 Wall Chart

Crispin Thomas

Monday, June 3rd, 2024

the George Cross flags are absent
no wild hysteria here
the local pubs are closing down
It’s hard to watch somewhere
but I’ve got all I need at home
before they kick a ball
my Euro 24 Wall Chart
is here upon my wall

I feel like a little kid
my days are neatly planned
I’ll watch and listen to it all
with Sharpie pen in hand
in ’58 I had one
I stayed up late at night
saw Pelé on our first TV
right there in black and white

and ev’ry golden tournament
the newspapers would share
their own exclusive Wall Chart
and I would get mine there
I’d keep the scores in felt tip
and fill them til the end
my Euros and my World Cup Charts
became my childhood friends

and we’d re-live those matches
the new emerging stars
in Summers on our little streets
between the passing cars
but all those days are gone now
they’re long-gone memories
when we would play in roads and parks
with lamp-posts, coats and trees

the years of disappointment
have taught us how to cope
as once again we feel inside
that dream belief and hope
and for a month we’ll live it all
through all that we perceive
and win or lose I know deep down
one thing makes me believe

I’m talkin’ bout my Wall Chart
It’s blank upon my wall
but with my pen we’ve won it
before we kick a ball
and though the flags are absent
and wars fill heads with fear
and refugees risk ev’rything
we pray solutions near

and I will follow England
and get behind Ukraine
and even shout for Scotland
ev’ry now and then
and we will all get drawn in
no matter what we say
the colour and the spectacle
the shocks along the way
and we will watch and listen
and we will kick each ball
and I will fill my Wall Chart
right here upon my wall

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Source: https://footballpoets.org/news/poem-tags/wall-chart/