Book Two

Sized

Football

Cleats, grabbed their 

Helmets, shoulder

Pads, jerseys, pants; sized

Soccer cleats, jerseys, shorts;

Sized running shoes, tank tops, shorts.



Zeus

Sent Dream

To whisper 

False promises

To Agamemnon:

Hera's supplication

Had been heard, he might take Troy.



New,

Fifth form

Boy, said to 

Be star, public 

School quarterback coach 

Recruited with offer 

Of full, two year scholarship.



Dropped

Boxers,

Unrolled towels,

Slid jockstraps up,

Pulled on t-shirts, shorts,

Jerseys, pants, pads, socks, new

Shoes tied, ran out from lockers.



Greaves

Fastened,

Corselets

Girded, swords slung

Across shoulders, shields

Lifted high, helmets set

Upon heads, readied for fight.



Old

Monied

Scion, school's 

Traditional

Football quarterback,

Tossed on worn t-shirt, shorts,

For private weight room workout.



Swarmed

Down grass

Slope to a 

Football goal post,

Or ran past it, climbed 

Bank to soccer net, or

Continued down beaten trail.



Fate

Of Troy

Sent off course 

When Achaians 

Spoke about setting 

Sail, Athena convinced 

Odysseus to remain.



Head

Of school 

Athletics 

Found his well liked

Player working out,

Counseled patience, early 

Games results would test coach decision.



Bunched 

Around 

Football coach,

Told to run laps,

Old at school, and new 

To forms, separated 

Into track running factions.



Tribes

Marshaled

By leaders,

Each with godlike

Lineage, some spear

Famed, some skilled with bow, drawn

From fertile vineyards, grain fields.



On

Way out,

Overheard

Private pep talk

Between coach and his

Selected quarterback

Before both appeared with team.



Drilled

As group

In basics,

Defense, offense,

Plays executed

From kickoff to first down,

Passing, running, and trick plays.



When

Trojans

Squared off with

Achaians, heart

Throb, Alexandros,

Saw Menelaos, pulled

Back 'til Hektor called him out.




Back 

At his 

Gym office,

Director shared

Strategy on why 

Each prep school faced theirs when

On small school league Fall schedule.



Culled

From slate

Of last year's 

Football starters,

Second-string players

Faced practice scrimmage with 

Team built around favourite.



Once

Both sides 

Called stand down,

Alexandros

Proposed one on one

Fight with Menelaos,

The survivor would take all.



At

Crest of

Soccer fields,

Levitated,

Black and white balls spun,

Cross country team headed

Out single file toward mountain. 




{18 stanzas/page}




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book One (Iliad)

Introduction  {Definition: An 'oil check' is an unofficial, illegal wrestling maneuver when applied in freestyle wrestling.  One wrestler inserts one, or more, finger(s) into another wrestler's rectum. The point of doing so- without a referee noticing- is to distract the insertee long enough for the inserter to try something else to reverse the match, escape, or gain control according to the rules. It is unofficial because while fingers are expressly prohibited from being inserted into openings- a wrestler's eyes, ears, nose, mouth- the rectum is not mentioned. Definition: A nut check is an unofficial, illegal, wrestling maneuver when applied in freestyle wrestling. One wrestler places a hand between the legs of another wrestler but instead of moving onto a leg, grabs the testicles (or penis). The point of doing so- without a referee noticing- is to distract the wrestler handled long enough for the handler to try something else to reverse the match, or gain control acco...
Read more

Book Five

At Post game Refreshments, Connecticut Players recognised New York's, members of the Same, border line country club. Fight Paused, dead Bodies burned, Greeks raised walls, dug Trenches, Poseidon Objected, Zeus agreed, All traces would be removed. Greek Goddess Figured, league Trophy won by Prep school football team With year's best overall Statistics: wins; losses; size. School's  Soccer Match a loss, Veteran team  Members had chosen  To dump sport by hyped, new Program, and facilities. Zeus Forbade God, goddess Interventions, Seated on Ida, Weighed fates of Achaians, Trojans, at war resumption.  School Trophy Snatched by league  Rival last year At homecoming, new  Coach, players, quarterback, Factored in revised game plan.  Last Year's doomed, Team lineup, Blamed for trophy  Loss, demoted to Second-string bench, soccer Standouts welcomed in lineup. Zeus Thundered, Flashed lightening, Hektor attacked, Hera, Athena  Dressed for fight, sent bac...
Read more

Book Nine

Stand, Knees bent, Feet spread, chin Tucked, spring forward, Rolling on back of  Neck, ending seated, with Hands pulling knees into chest. Bow, Arrows, Axes' chest  Out from storeroom, Penelope called  Marriage contest: string bow; Shoot arrow through twelve aligned. You  Turned back  Handle, stepped  Away, toweled off, Found yourself slowing Past locker room sideview  Of wrestlers lined up at scale. From  Neutral  Position Without partner, Take penetration  Steps, drop levels, practice  Fast takedowns, counterattacks. Each Suitor  Tried, but failed, Telemachus  Also, Antinous  Goaded, Odysseus  Showed scar to swineherd, cowherd. Pinned Wrestler, Seated in  Corner on towel Spread, locker room bench, Caught you watching parade Of clueless, naked wrestlers. Squat  Down, hands Flat on mat, Partner lifts legs From behind into  Handstand, push-up, down in Repetitions, reverse roles. Hall Doors locked, O...
Read more