Kneel to no one, not least those who cannot kneel,
Their bended knee arising from regal labours
In might and main to honour king and country
against the mightiest warriors from other lands
in fair contest and proud sacrifice
through surgery to fight and fight on. England’s
braw champion’s task is nearly done,
the ashes won and lost, and nearly once again [...]
A strange day. Poetry frustrated by players. To do a poem a day you have two or three in mind as play continues. Strauss looked imperious till he wiftily went to play then not play a Hilfenhaus ‘no-ball’ (maybe leave that to the electronics, and in all ball games never change your mind half-way through [...]
Gone
in sixty nano-seconds
aim in mind before ball leaves bat
all done in one, out by yards,
victim dives after stumps splay
no recourse to redundant replay
dust stunned in shiv sharp speed
of broken glass stilled while braking
rods and cones alchemically fixed,
frozen forever in our retinas
suspended for life in vitreous humour
locked in basal memory forever
Katich twocks Trott.
Taken without owner’s consent,
No [...]
the crack is back.
out in the paddock steers sense
danger. A simple few step run
as short as Alan Davidson
but a bloody sight more quick,
left arm, right leg taut as a bow
held by Ursain Bolt at the gun,
no chance to reckon direction
before the whip comes over
Crack! Steers cower at its lash,
unable to go forward or back,
lost in the [...]
Oval ain’t Headingley, all square, a fresh game, isn’t it?
England haven’t panicked and called up all their previous has-beens and failures,which is probably a good thing. Personally I was wondering if the selectors would plump for the no-nonsense solidity of Sir Arthur Wellesley or the more mecurial talents of Brunel I K, but still being [...]
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.
All square at your final test
Lead us [...]
