deepundergroundpoetry.com
World Cup
on its arrival in Qatar
Never liked sport much.
The hue and cry reminds me of
when gran would ask
to play board games with me
as well as my sibling,
and on being refused would say
‘you don’t like effort, do you, eh?’
But really I’m not sure that effort justifies
communal games of skill and chance.
Don’t get me wrong,
I take no moral stance.
My own pursuits are just as vacuous,
I’m sure. But even if I liked effort
I can’t imagine caring for
the spectacle of old FA lizards
giving sops to queers and migrant dead,
while lounging in the stadiums
grouted with laboured blood.
Never liked sport much.
The hue and cry reminds me of
when gran would ask
to play board games with me
as well as my sibling,
and on being refused would say
‘you don’t like effort, do you, eh?’
But really I’m not sure that effort justifies
communal games of skill and chance.
Don’t get me wrong,
I take no moral stance.
My own pursuits are just as vacuous,
I’m sure. But even if I liked effort
I can’t imagine caring for
the spectacle of old FA lizards
giving sops to queers and migrant dead,
while lounging in the stadiums
grouted with laboured blood.
Published 16th Nov 2022
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16th Nov 2022 7:14pm
I exchanged on the net once with a guy from Qatar about the way the workers were treated like slaves. All he had to say was these men had come over willingly..........
Anonymous
16th Nov 2022 7:26pm
When I read title thought you were going to declare your undying love for Gareth Bale and/or the Tunisian goalkeeper. Being flippant, apologies. You are quite correct and expressed elegantly and poetically.
It shouldn't be in Qatar. End of. $$$ speak and it's abhorrent. The likes of Beckham prostituting himself and any principles for a few quid (like he needs the money). But in the words of an ex-boss 'we are where we are, it is what it is' (never did understand office babble). At least the world will be spared the sight of European hooligans fighting long-forgotten wars on foreign lands. Just gutted I won't be watching in person, but no way would I even contemplate the trip.
Board games. My Uncle loved mono-bloody-poly. Boxing days spent moving a tiny dog around streets I only thought existed in films.
It shouldn't be in Qatar. End of. $$$ speak and it's abhorrent. The likes of Beckham prostituting himself and any principles for a few quid (like he needs the money). But in the words of an ex-boss 'we are where we are, it is what it is' (never did understand office babble). At least the world will be spared the sight of European hooligans fighting long-forgotten wars on foreign lands. Just gutted I won't be watching in person, but no way would I even contemplate the trip.
Board games. My Uncle loved mono-bloody-poly. Boxing days spent moving a tiny dog around streets I only thought existed in films.
16th Nov 2022 7:32pm
17th Nov 2022 10:28pm
