Thursday, February 15, 2007


Gaelic football match, Newcastle, County Down

By Adam Gibson ©


pale skinny legs
spindle-armed and tough-faced
on the terrace i watched
the County Down vs County Kildare
Gaelic Football match
beneath the snow-flecked imposition
of Slieve Donard
and the thud of the ground
the thud of boot on ball
knobbly knee on knobbly knee
in the freezing rain
which soaks the face
of the grey-faced man
in front of me but he
doesn't wipe off a drop
and nobody speaks
because the local team
ain't travelling too hot

the Reds and Blacks
versus
the White and Blacks
and everyone knows each other
and the bloke next to me
has a brother in Melbourne (of course)
and he wants to know all about me
he has pale blue eyes
and hairs on his nose

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