It feels weird. Sitting at home about to go to the cricket. I feel I should be somewhere else, in The Ivy Bush pub in Newport for Cardiff, relatives in Golder’s Green for Lord’s or a rented farmhouse in Worcestershire. Being at home, with a half-finished kitchen awaiting the return of the builders (all meant [...]
Before checking the Dressing Stations behind front lines at Headingley, I’d like to say how marvellous it was and is that there is an Ashes Festival in Leeds www.ashesfestivalinleeds.com. I would say that since they asked me to close the official reception this Tuesday, which I did with http://www.ashespoetry.net/2009/08/03/safety-in-numbers/ written the evening before. It seemed to [...]
Our Freddie, the heart of our eleven
Hallowed be thy knees.
Give us your all from test to test
While inbetween giving them each a rest.
Cortisone injection those Australians
From openers to tail-enders
But do not do yourself a mischief
As you would do unto others.
We forgive you your pedalos
As you would forgive us ours.
At Leeds, lead us not into temptation,
Premature [...]
Hedley Verity
no one should die here, except in peace.
news travelled slowly; weeks, months or more passed
till all those who knew you heard of a hill
in Sicily, of wounds, of capture and death.
one more soldier, one more war,
where is its honour, except in us all,
to fight the aggressor who lives
in our breath, who heeds no call.
listen. [...]
