Rugby Sundays

It's only a game! Original poem by Mark Shepherd. Born out of Sunday touchline attendance, inspired by the players and coaches at Colchester Rugby Club. Hats off to them!

Better quality audio version available : download free mp3
http://www.dashpoetry.com/download/dashpoet/rugby_sundays.mp3


Rugby Sundays.

IMPACT.
Its the
name of the game.
Squirt the ball
and fly a little.
Forwards drive and
break the ranks,
for
fleet foot backs
to gamely striving
canter rampant
manly trying
for the line.
Hustle.
Scrummage.
Chase him down.
Drive on through
the horizontal
elements.
Sleet cools heads,
arrogance expunging
wash cleans
vanities away.
Focus.
Timely,
dashing interception;
thump the opposition
solid tackles,
digging in;
in studded deep
determination.
Jaw set.
Grim grit
concentration,
bone grinding
glamour into soil,
(beware the worm
that pokes its head
above
into the fray)
scything rakes,
where studied
groundsmen tend
implacably to toil.
Buried bodies deep,
the singularity,
the ball.
The source,
the sapping reason
point of pivot
of it all.
Ruck and maul.
Burst into the open,
twist and spinning
blurring time;
snapping wrist
propelling flick
zip lightening
tip to finger tip.
Head down.
Harry.
Hand to hand.
Shoulder drop
and tussle.
Baring grins of
buffered teeth
advance the pack
and struggle;
gaining ground.
Quick look spot
kick, looming chase
and smother.
Backing up and
knocking down,
take a knock and
come right back.
Attack the ball.
Attack!
Attack!
Batter competition.
Stand nothing
in your way,
hit fast and low
and hurtle on
and then hit low
again another.
Show the greatest
vigour. Demonstrate
your flair. Exploit
every weakness.
Striking always;
hard and fair.
Ecstatic
celebrate
the winning,
applaud, console
the fallen foe,
salute the skills
and combat courage,
back slap fraternal
final blow.
Troop steaming
knots of team-mates,
form ranked
heads-up parade;
exhaust from
staunch supporters,
breathed relief,
another day.
All ready for
refreshment yet,
yet honour holds
and has its sway. Its
Cheers to you and
Cheers again,
and one more
if I may...
heres Three Cheers
to Rugby Sundays
Hip! Hip!
Hooray!

Mark Shepherd
dashpoet 2009


'experience the art'
http://www.dashpoetry.com
http://www.dashpoet.com
http://www.jackiea.co.uk

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Rugby
• Sundays
• original
• poem
• Mark
• Shepherd
• dashpoet
• Attack!
• rain
• sleet
• snow
• scrum
• scrummage
• ruck
• maul
• life
• love
• ball
• game

[Poemsapennyeach]

is this the only poem written about rugby I wonder...? Love the background.

[dashpoet]

I'm sure it's not, but funnily enough the poem this most puts me in mind of is one about bowls! I heard it here on YouTube, I wish I could remember what it is called. Anyway, thanks for all, Mark.

[andrewnorris1]

Your short lines and their rhythm create for me something of the weaving, dodging motion of the poor guy running with the ball, I say poor guy since only once did I ever play it at school and after vowed never again. However, your poem, in its use of present continuous, conveys more of the excitement and camaraderie then the horror of the game. Bravo.

[dashpoet]

Great comment, thank you Andrew. I'm pleased that the poem comes across as a positive endorsement of rugby, as that has been my experience since my son started playing. A terrific bunch of motivated and dedicated people. Cheers to you too!

[marycigarettes]

i sometimes bang off a krafty one watching the rugger on telly..i have absolutely no idea how the game works..i just sit there thinking'what totty?!'..i wonder if they're cool with that?....i love the almost stoic position of your delivery in this mark...its an epic poem...very very good.

[dashpoet]

Ha! I guess you'd have to ask that of the men on the tv! If it is possible to be a relative rugby virgin, that's me. The stoicism, I guess, that you detected, is born of wet and windy winter mornings, one of the staunch supporters of son's endeavours on the field of play. I'm learning. Cheers Mary!

[PulsarPoet]

For some unknown reason I always used to get picked for the rugby team whilst at school. Being very light in frame I used to get regularly battered! Good poem.

[dashpoet]

Rhythm is an element of life that I enjoy! I love the music in the words, I try to find it when I can. Cheers to that and cheers again, Mark.

[dashpoet]

I tried to put as much as I could of my hours on the touchline into this, to share the experience! I'm glad it connected with the sports fan in you. Cheers!

[dashpoet]

Rugby players are starting to wear body armour too now! Cauliflower ears have long been a feature of the veteran rugby man; too many years for comfort I guess. Cheers to all, Paul, with best wishes, Mark.