In Ireland wellies sell and wells are holy:
our names are legion in the roll of honour.
We have a singing priest (Sinead O'Connor),
and though we didn't think of ravioli,
we DID produce an extra-special goalie,
the legendary hero Packie Bonner,
renowned as Glasgow Celtic's Number Oner.
We're not restricted to our frontiers, solely:
the land of Stradivarius and Stromboli
embraced one of the lads, and did so wholly!
(The place is EM-poli, and not Em-PO-li:
you'll find it easy if you say it slowly.)
The Church of Rome, today, would be so lowly
if not for San Donato, our boy Donagh.
We watched our granddaughter Ava play her last official soccer game…
Her final season as a goalie is complete…
It’s one of those milestones in life we consider bittersweet.
Since we were 37 years old
we’ve been watching our children and grandchildren play soccer…
and now we’re 72!
Which means, with Ava heading off to college next year…
after 35 years…our time on the soccer sidelines is through.
We watched them play in the Florida heat…some misty rains
and an occasional thunderstorm…
We watched them play in winter when it was impossible to get warm.
We wanted them to see us…to know anytime our paths crossed…
We would be there on the sidelines cheering…
when they won…and when they lost..
We wanted them to know…as along the sidelines we would stroll…
that being a part of their lives has always been our goal.
For 35 years on the sidelines…it’s been a privilege watching them grow…
and as this era comes to an end…there’s something else we’d like them to know:
As you switch from the game of soccer to the game of life…
as children and grandchildren are wont to do…
when you need us…look to the sidelines…
we‘ll be there cheering for you.
I kicked the world lay at my feet
the wrong way down a one way street
I kicked and kicked and didn’t stop
until I reached the paper shop
and thought my journey was complete.
Between the headlines of defeat
Liverpool's team was in retreat
hearing the call from Jürgen Klopp
I kicked the world.
My dad leapt up out from his seat
with terrace chants I won’t repeat
reality began to drop
legging towards the mighty Kop
only the goalie left to beat
I kicked the world.
In the liveliest REM stage of his night
Bert beholds an unusual sight.
A troupe of pink elephants sound a trumpet blast
Then stomp united towards the grass.
On the other side, a team of tall strong guys
March to the pitch with focussed eyes.
"I'll be the goalie!' Dan told Bert.
'I'm least likely to get hurt."
Bert referees. His reminder the same,
"The joy's in the play, not winning the game."
At half time, a call is heard from Phil.
"How have the elephants scored two nil?
It's not right. It makes no sense...
Football's not for elephants!"
The guys huddle up and devise a plan
To catch as many mice as they can.
When the teams take position on the green
A commotion begins. A chaotic scene!
The elephants pale to white as a goose
When all the mice have been let loose.
The guys score goals before the mice disappear
The elephants play on, when free from fear.
Bert awakens amazed and confused.
He starts to laugh, feeling quite amused.
He answers the question written on Suzanne's face.
He fills her in on the match that took place.
11/1/2023
When you tore my nubile nightgown,
from my youthful body in two.
That sherbet-colored beauty,which I
had purchased, just for you!
Forgotten, quickly then, though never
your footsteps, in the sweet,hallways of time!
Decades later, memories of that soccer
Austrian goalie and I now live eternal in rhyme
Your dimpled chin and sweet kisses, are
but yesterday’s treasure, indeed, sublime.
That starlit, spring night, so uniquely floral,
Opalescent and with fireflies~ divine.!
Both France and Australia were nil-nil until extra time when Aussie Alanna Kennedy’s misdirected header during a corner kick produced an own goal for France. The goal was disallowed for a foul inside the box by a French player. But Australia had more than luck on their side. Aussie goalie, Mackenzie Arnold, was a force to be reckoned with. The vanquished French coach Herve Renard said, “We came up against a Goliath of a goalie.” Then all it took was the late substitute Cortnee Vine to calmly convert the winning penalty kick. For the first time in their history, the host team Matildas are in the World Cup semifinals!
Vine’s PK winner
Matildas’ goalie Arnold—
France shown no merci
For two weeks, at all hours, I watched FIFA games
Familiarizing myself with all the players' names
But I won't be viewing the World Cup anymore
after the favored U. S. team was unable to score
Too much drama was promoted, so it would seem
over not singing the National Anthem, but I'd deem
their focus was on winning, as I think it should be
and not on patriotic agendas, "My country tis of thee."
A penguin (mascot) waddles so he can't play football
If he had tried, he'd have stumbled and taken a fall
Not once did I hear his name, Tazunis, mentioned
I don't think that slight of him was well intentioned
The U.S. team was defeated by Sweden in overtime
Their goalie, Zecira Musovic, played a game sublime
Time after time her heroic efforts prevented a score
No goals had been made, but the game was not a bore
U.S. women won the first tourney game by one goal
but wouldn't "Do it Again" and lost their favorite role
They didn't play, "Beyond Greatness," not even close
It was time they fly home and to Australia say, "Adios."
On the winter leaves
Dew after the foggy night
Vision of mirage
Limitless horizontal line
Crystal sky as long as sight
Frame of emptiness
On the highway road of sky
Fluttering wings of the eagle
Radar of freedom
Silent rhythm of river stream
Towards the goalless goalie
Lyrics of the eternity
Don’t deceive to be deceived
Love all to win without defeating
Negative enjoys nothing
Breathe, breathe and breathe
Feel the silent language of lungs
Life speaks to death
©Mahtab Bangalee
Chattogram
08/12/2022
Active fun-loving roly poly little goalie
slowly retrieved a ball so lowly
He said right away
It is a great day!
The crowd yelled back “Holy Moly!”
This is Football,
Rise Lay Fall,
Just have ball,
The game is more about the fitness,
Which is not one easy business,
Along with coordination, strength and stiffness,
You need willpower, patience and swiftness,
Drilling the ball with complete calmness,
Hoofing the ball shows you are fearless,
Chip shooting the ball over the opponent player head,
Dirty shoes clits , clothes drenched in sweat & Blood shed
This game can be played in sun, rain wearing tread,
Thrilling ,amazing is the bracing goal from the head,
The forward are like the hunters with a spearhead,
Middles are souls of the game who are dispread,
If the goalie misses the ball the team is dead,
Teams give’s best shot for chances thin as thread,
This game is very popular, enriching, fanatical and widespread.
You know you can't go out to play
For today is the Sabbath Day
You must keep it holy
You can't be their goalie
So go to your corner and pray!
Spring Senryu
as the sun slumbers
unseen hands tend night’s garden
fireflies applaud
pollinating roses
red faced – caught in the act
a thorny dilemma
the dandelion
spring’s forever WTF
roots of anarchy
nothing but net
the mosquito goalie quit
buzz – buzz- slap – ouch
the great blue heron
mocks the wetlands trees
standing on one leg
John G. Lawless
4/20/2021
Soccer ball made from granola, dried grapes
Honey, brown sugar, oats, sunflower seeds
Almonds and chocolate chips form the ball that is fun to
Play the soccer game where everyone wins and the goalie eats the ball.
Eleven comedic players on each team want that
Soccer ball running after the tasty round thing, number 19 gets a Red card
Before the lemming, marmot, and prairie dog run
Biting a tasty crunch out of that flavorful round sphere.
Chocolatier is in competition for profit and prize with
Granolatier who in rivalry selling those two color round
Yummy soccer balls hoping the malamute doggie and
Spiky Yorkshire terrier stay off the game field and don’t eat the ball.
Soccer mom enjoys getting lots of granola soccer balls at the
Local grocery store every Saturday keeping one for herself,
One fun granola soccer ball lasts a week for driving and munching,
Accordion playing cheering moods for all biting that new soccer ball.
Small city arena long out of date,
that is where this B-league team plays their games,
young men learning, hopes for fortune and fame.
I watch the practice, they shoot and they skate,
remember back when I was at that weight…
Here at least the ticket prices are sane,
NHL’s prices send shocks through my brain,
this is a fun time, even if they don’t rate.
The clean smell of ice as they drop the puck,
racing past blue lines from board to board,
small man gets cross-checked, he seems out of luck,
then big man in the box for five minutes more,
power play offense, a slap-shot is struck,
bounces of the goalie, a scramble to score…
Me heads been hit many a time in me life,
I've had staples and stitches what am I like?
I've been hit hard by fists, feet and balls,
as a goalie dived into posts and floors.
In a minute one of me rhymes don't fit,
bare in mind this head of mine's been hit.
Playing football once, knocked out after headbutting the floor,
when fists knock me down, I get up, get hit some more.
I do not want to gloat, brag or boast,
about times I dived into the goalpost.
Though me heads been hit many a time,
I'm a kangaroo allergic to lime.
However, the thing about goalkeepers that aint no fun,
is when you knock yourself out you stay on the pitch cus you're the only bloody one.
Those last lines don't fit,
it's cus me heads been hit,
but i'll write about that another wine please.
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