Brian Strand Poet Quatrain

Another Childhood Memory

A cool Autumn morning
we caught the bus
off at eleven 
    .without much fuss.

One & half return 
         our village Croft to Leigh 
     a birthday treat 
from Dad to me.

Hopped on a 
 tram to Burden park 
    to see Stan Mathews 
make his mark

Through the turnstile 
          at the town end
crushed &crammed 
     like cattle penned.

Mathews& Mortenson 
versus Nathaniel Lofthouse
a joust  no connoisseurs
   could never grouse.

Wembly star Stan
still  playing on at thirty eight 
  still making inch perfect 
crosses on a plate.

Shimmy side-step
   feint & dazzle
leaving the defenders
 in a right frazzle

Our ageing hero 
displayed all his twinkling skills
    the complete pro 
without modern-day frills

Most pundits considered 
  Stan as aged has-been 
but no better talent
     had ever been seen




Brian Strand | Year Posted 2007

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Gary Radice September 6, 2021 at 8:29 AM I can see it all Brian. Your words are almost the Lowry painting in a different town. The surge forward of the crowd. The smell of beer and cigarettes. The roar. The floodlights. The squash. And that was just Anfield in the '70s. Cheers - Gary Brian Strand September 6, 2021 at 8:43 AM As a 14 year old in the old (concrete exits)Burden Park,my feet left the ground & I was carried by the crowd..I was not surprised when in Sheffield some years later....

Andrea Dietrich September 5, 2021 at 8:35 PM Cool poem, Brian. A good memory. Brian Strand September 6, 2021 at 12:15 AM The truth wii out..for poets ..at least ..Andrea

Sam Kauffman September 5, 2021 at 9:43 AM What a delightful picture of game day and a lovely tribute to the masters of the "football" game Brian. Brings back so many memories of going to athletic events - the anticipation, the press of the crowd. Thanks for the memory. Brian Strand September 6, 2021 at 12:16 AM Its good to see Sam ' this so popular sport' taking off in your fair land too