Book Twelve

Home

Covered

Visiting 

Offense, wildcat 

Play, running back took

Snap, not their quarterback,

Defense scrambled from scrimmage.



Gates

Opened 

For Trojans,

Apollo placed 

Agenor to stop 

Achilles by spear thrown,

Wrapped him in mist, took his shape.



Black,

Tinted

Limousine 

Passed athletic 

Fields, parked at school house,

Occupants' eyes obscured 

Behind wide framed sunglasses.



Out

Route played,

Visiting 

Team receiver 

Started run down field,

Cut out toward sidelines where 

Home team player tackled him.



Fooled,

He chased

Apollo-

Not Agenor-

Along fields, river,

Revealed, swerved toward gates where

Hektor, despite pleas, waited.



White

Van pulled

Up outside

Kitchen, driver

Unloaded covered

Dishes, trays prepared by

Caterer for lunch buffet.



Blitz

Offense

By home team

Sacked quarterback,

Next pass, fumbled, ball

Turned over, stop and go

By wide receiver scored goal.



Fight,

Or flight,

Hektor ran

From Achilles

Until Athena

Tricked him, Achilles threw

His spear, missed, threw again, killed.



Black 

And white

Chess pieces 

Staged across board,

Department colleagues 

Tried out tactical moves

Discovered in experts' books.



Home

Draw play,

Quarterback 

Surprised defense-

Receivers covered-

Football clutched tight, he ran 

Straight down midfield to end zone.



Ghost 

Rebuked 

Achilles,

Stuck at Hades' 

Gates until pyre

Burned corpse, logs, livestock piled,

Winds blew flames, bones recovered.



Not

Erased

From chalkboard,

Claggart falsely 

Charged young Billy Budd:

Plotting a mutiny;

Envious of his beauty.



Stop

And go

Gutted guest 

Man to man set

Up, wide receiver 

Broke free, diagonal 

Run through goal posts scored touchdown.



Games

Commenced-

With divine 

Interventions-

For proven, sons;

Boxers, athletes, fought clean,

Wrestlers, dirtied, fought to draw.



Two

Third form 

Volunteers 

Inventoried 

Singlets, sweat suits, shoes,

First season practice with 

Weigh-ins Monday afternoon.



An

Injured

Quarterback

On crutches shook

His successor's hand:

Torch, unexpectedly 

Passed, carried to finish line.



Zeus

Frowned, had

Thetis tell

Achilles to

Accept ransom from

Priam for Hektor's corpse,

Hermes guided him safely.



Towels 

Snapped in 

Boisterous 

Admiration 

Of their achievements:

Rival beaten; classes 

Canceled; all meals informal.



{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