51. Sport [100 poems challenge]

51.          Sport

Kitted out in cast-off white pads,
Mouthguard fitted, but no mask,
Broken straps on battered kickers,
Thin gloves grip my hockey stick.
Nose is chilled on winter morning,
Fog obscures the further goal,
Parents huddle on the sidelines
Rugged up in their coats and scarves.
Field is merely grassy tussocks,
Every pass a random shot;
Mud grabs firmly to my boot studs,
Clearing kicks just slow and halt.
Dribbled juice of half-time orange,
Urgent edicts from the coach;
Flapping arms to warm my fingers,
Lest they go completely numb.
Shouts are muffled in the grey mist
Whistle echoes in the gloom,
Then the thud of ball on backboard
Cheers float muted to my ears.
Figures ghostlike reappearing
Arms raised high to celebrate
I yell out congratulations,
Brace myself for last defence.
Mud and youth make play ungainly
Scrappy tackles, clearing save,
Minutes later, all has ended,
Handshakes, then the warmth of car.

9 June 2013

Comments: Reflections on high school hockey matches. This is very descriptive and literal. Re-reading it 10 days later I feel it captures the atmosphere to a degree (maybe 5 degrees … Celsius!), but it doesn’t feel poetic or evocative to quite the extent that I would like.

Themes to come: 52. Deep in Thought; 53. Keeping a Secret; 54. Tower; 55. Waiting; 56. Danger Ahead

Explanation about the 100 poems challenge here.