Ashes Poetry

Affixed to the original urn…..

When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn;
Studds, Steel, Read and Tylcote return, return.
The welkin will ring loud
The great crowd will feel proud
Seeing Barlow & Bates with the urn, the urn
And the rest coming home with the urn

the urn, the urn, the urn

I’ve added an extra line in italics since the rhythm doesn’t work with the verse all on its own. (A quick ECB-approved level one and five-eighths cricket poetry coaching session in basic poetic techniques – repetition:- Welkin is sky, turned into a bell, (not Belly) which of course needs to ring, hence the repetition of the urn, the urn to make the sound of a bell, redoubled with return, return – simple and effective, and clearly aiming to link onto verse five.)

If you want your very own Ashes poem all you have to do is take the version below and substitute in the gaps who you like for the names of these old players. I’m sure they won’t mind, in fact honoured that you’re thinking about them. I’d suggest using surnames rather than first or nicknames, since it ties into the original language, and also check that the rhythm still works, so that’s where nicknames come in – to shorten Collie for Collingwood, but lengthen Strauss to Straussie since he’s captain, like Ivo, and everyone can join in the extra line as a chorus, the urn, the urn, the urn!

When Straussie  stands proud with the urn, the urn;
               ,              ,                 and               return, return.
The welkin will ring loud
The great crowd will feel proud
Seeing                &              with the urn, the urn
And the rest coming home with the urn

the urn, the urn, the urn!