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On Tenterhooks in Mexico and Rodborough

Stuart Butler

Saturday, July 4th, 2026

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Rodborough Fields
Mexico v England
The Prince Albert
Estadio Azteca

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Hard to imagine these places conjoined
By anything other than a football match,
But the cochineal beetle from Mexico
Provided the dye for Stroud scarlet cloth,
Once stretched out on tenterhooks
In Rodborough Fields,
As in that iconic painting.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 We too shall be on tenterhooks but in the pub.
But if we win, in the gloaming after the match,
I shall stretch out a piece of Stroud scarlet cloth
In Rodborough Fields in quiet celebration.

Notes

Editor Note  The 1765 painting Stu is referring to depicts large stretches of vivid red cloth (the historic “Stroud Scarlet”) spread out on the grassy Rodborough fields hillsides to dry after being dyed.  You can view the original oil painting at Stroud Museum in the Park and online at https://museuminthepark.org.uk/

The Prince Albert reference in the poem, is a now an iconic live music venue pub in Rodborough run by Lotte & Miles. It’s know for it’s wonderfully curated and skilfully chosen gigs and events, its quirky welcoming vibe and their delicious pizzas fresh from the oven.

It’s also showing the Mexico v England World Cup match..naturally. Football Poets, including Stu and myself,  have performed there many times since 1996 over the years, including the first ever live impomptu version of Trenchcoats for Goalposts, an acclaimed theatre, music and poetry re-enactment of the Christmas Truce in 1915.

Crispin

 

 

 

 

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Source: https://footballpoets.org/poems/on-tenterhooks-in-mexico-and-rodborough/