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“Whispering Death” ... A Poem written by Big Virge 7/9/2021
Now When It Comes To Fast Bowling ...
The Name Michael Holding ...
Is Synonymous With ...
The VERY BEST In Cricket ... !!!
So Do Not Get Confused ...
By The Title I’ve Used ...
To Define This Poem ...
About One of The BEST ...
To Bowl Balls In The Nets ... !!!
Whose Nickname Was Given ...
Because When They Listened ...
Umpires Have Said ...
That His Run Up Footsteps ...
Were Almost ... Silent ..............
Until His Approach ...
Brought Him Right Next To Them ... !!!
He Floated And Flowed ...
Like ALI Punches Thrown ...
When He Ran In From Boards ...
On The Boundary At Lords ... !!!
A LIGHTNING SPEED Force ...
When He Bowled Cricket Balls ...
At Batsmen Who Had ...
Little Time To React ...
To Then Bring Down Their Bats ...
And Repel His Attacks ... !!!
A True Bowling MASTER ...
Whose Bowling Was Faster ...
Than Most of His Peers ... !!!
Who Clearly Bred FEAR ...
In Batsmen Whose Ears ...
Heard The Ball Whistle Past ...
Their Eardrums REAL FAST ... !!!
And Who Hit Men In Hearts ...
So Death Was A Part ...
of His Nickname For Reasons ...
That Held Depth of Meaning ... !!!
From Seventy Six ...
When West Indies Cricket ...
Began Showing The World ...
That Their Fast Bowlers Worked ...
To Leave Batsmen Unnerved ...
Due To Levels of Pace ...
That Dismissed Cricket Greats ... !!!
From Boycott To Botham ...
To Top Aussie Showman ...
From Those Chappel Brothers ...
To Numerous Others ...
Whose Wickets Just Tumbled ...
When Holding Caused Trouble ...
Because of His Speed ...
And His Accuracy ... !!!
It Was Said He Could Be ...
An Olympic Athlete ...
Due To How He Would Glide ...
To The Crease With A Style ...
That Was Simply His Own ... !!!
Just Ask Those Who Know ...
Who Suffered From Blows ...
That Michael Inflicted ...
On ALL Types of Wickets ... !!!
He Bowled With A Quickness ...
Until He Lost Fitness ...
But Then He Adapted ...
And Shortened His Run ...
But Still Was Attractive ...
Due To His Action ... !!!
One of The SMOOTHEST ...
That Cricket Had Seen ...
Because It Was Fluid ...
Like Waves On High Seas ... !!!
A True West Indies GREAT ... !!!
Who Now ... Commentates ...
And Speaks Like He Bowled ...
With A Smooth Dulcet Tone ...
That Still Disturbs Bones ...
Due To Things That He Knows ...
About How Cricket Goes ...
Who Inspired My Dreams ...
To Bowl Fast And Quickly ...
Like He Did To His Team ...
Yes The MIGHTY WINDIES ... !!!
From The Nineteen Eighties ...
And The Late Seventies ... !!!
Who Rarely Received ...
Losses Or Defeats ... !!!
So This Poem’s For Him ...
And So Heads Don’t Forget ... !!!
The Name Michael Holding ...
The GREAT .....
... “ Whispering Death “ ...
The Name Michael Holding ...
Is Synonymous With ...
The VERY BEST In Cricket ... !!!
So Do Not Get Confused ...
By The Title I’ve Used ...
To Define This Poem ...
About One of The BEST ...
To Bowl Balls In The Nets ... !!!
Whose Nickname Was Given ...
Because When They Listened ...
Umpires Have Said ...
That His Run Up Footsteps ...
Were Almost ... Silent ..............
Until His Approach ...
Brought Him Right Next To Them ... !!!
He Floated And Flowed ...
Like ALI Punches Thrown ...
When He Ran In From Boards ...
On The Boundary At Lords ... !!!
A LIGHTNING SPEED Force ...
When He Bowled Cricket Balls ...
At Batsmen Who Had ...
Little Time To React ...
To Then Bring Down Their Bats ...
And Repel His Attacks ... !!!
A True Bowling MASTER ...
Whose Bowling Was Faster ...
Than Most of His Peers ... !!!
Who Clearly Bred FEAR ...
In Batsmen Whose Ears ...
Heard The Ball Whistle Past ...
Their Eardrums REAL FAST ... !!!
And Who Hit Men In Hearts ...
So Death Was A Part ...
of His Nickname For Reasons ...
That Held Depth of Meaning ... !!!
From Seventy Six ...
When West Indies Cricket ...
Began Showing The World ...
That Their Fast Bowlers Worked ...
To Leave Batsmen Unnerved ...
Due To Levels of Pace ...
That Dismissed Cricket Greats ... !!!
From Boycott To Botham ...
To Top Aussie Showman ...
From Those Chappel Brothers ...
To Numerous Others ...
Whose Wickets Just Tumbled ...
When Holding Caused Trouble ...
Because of His Speed ...
And His Accuracy ... !!!
It Was Said He Could Be ...
An Olympic Athlete ...
Due To How He Would Glide ...
To The Crease With A Style ...
That Was Simply His Own ... !!!
Just Ask Those Who Know ...
Who Suffered From Blows ...
That Michael Inflicted ...
On ALL Types of Wickets ... !!!
He Bowled With A Quickness ...
Until He Lost Fitness ...
But Then He Adapted ...
And Shortened His Run ...
But Still Was Attractive ...
Due To His Action ... !!!
One of The SMOOTHEST ...
That Cricket Had Seen ...
Because It Was Fluid ...
Like Waves On High Seas ... !!!
A True West Indies GREAT ... !!!
Who Now ... Commentates ...
And Speaks Like He Bowled ...
With A Smooth Dulcet Tone ...
That Still Disturbs Bones ...
Due To Things That He Knows ...
About How Cricket Goes ...
Who Inspired My Dreams ...
To Bowl Fast And Quickly ...
Like He Did To His Team ...
Yes The MIGHTY WINDIES ... !!!
From The Nineteen Eighties ...
And The Late Seventies ... !!!
Who Rarely Received ...
Losses Or Defeats ... !!!
So This Poem’s For Him ...
And So Heads Don’t Forget ... !!!
The Name Michael Holding ...
The GREAT .....
... “ Whispering Death “ ...
Published 25th Sep 2021
| Edited 5th Oct 2021
Author's Note
He's now become a renowned, and highly respected cricket commentator, but his ability with a cricket ball in his hand, was what made him one of my inspirations, and like the poem says, gave birth to his nickname of ...
" Whispering Death "....
" Whispering Death "....
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Anonymous
25th Sep 2021 3:47am
I really like poems about sports.
I wonder if the bowler's influence extends beyond the pitch.
It's quite common for people to use sports--either the sport as a whole, or a particular player--to inspire and inform their art.
This shouldn't surprise--sports, among other things, are experienced as aesthetics. Whether the movement of a well-trained athlete, or the overall strategy, various aspects of sports become metaphors for our lives in ways that go far beyond sports.
This reader wonders if there's a relation to how you write poems to his method bowling.
Enjoyed!
I wonder if the bowler's influence extends beyond the pitch.
It's quite common for people to use sports--either the sport as a whole, or a particular player--to inspire and inform their art.
This shouldn't surprise--sports, among other things, are experienced as aesthetics. Whether the movement of a well-trained athlete, or the overall strategy, various aspects of sports become metaphors for our lives in ways that go far beyond sports.
This reader wonders if there's a relation to how you write poems to his method bowling.
Enjoyed!
25th Sep 2021 8:57pm
Hey Mark,
Michael Holding has become more than a sports icon, he's ended up opening very important discourse on race and other things, i'd like to think my style of writing reflects his, amazing style and grace as a bowler.....
He's influenced me in many ways, I can only hope my poetic efforts reflect some part of how he used to bowl.
Thanks for your comment, hope my response answers your question.
Nice1
Virge
Michael Holding has become more than a sports icon, he's ended up opening very important discourse on race and other things, i'd like to think my style of writing reflects his, amazing style and grace as a bowler.....
He's influenced me in many ways, I can only hope my poetic efforts reflect some part of how he used to bowl.
Thanks for your comment, hope my response answers your question.
Nice1
Virge
