The bunting, the flags, now folded away,
Footballers live to play another day.
Next year embark on new world cup caper,
Euro defeat yesterday’s chip paper.
Meanwhile penalties humiliation
Starkly revealed the worst of a nation.
Those that point fingers and apportion blame
Do not understand this beautiful game,
What is it that fuels racism hate?
What thing can these fascists not tolerate?
They see it, writ large, in front of their face,
Team friends and humans, regardless of race,
They hugged each other with love in defeat.
Match lost but team love did bigotry beat.

Harry Rogers, In The Red Bedroom, 12th July 2021.

Alpha, beta, delta, lambda kebabs,
Pick and mix menus, long covid rehabs.
Atomised rules destroy kids mental health,
Midst clamour for restart of rental wealth.
On terraces fans bring back wondrous roar,
This is what bread and circuses are for.
Occupy minds with dreams of fake glory,
Media moguls control this story.
Outdoors in country gardens bucolic
Lurk pandemic hordes of alcoholics,
New victims of lack of joined up thinking,
Cheap supermarket booze fires home drinking.
Blue tits and sparrows pay no attention,
Nature continues, beyond prevention.

Harry Rogers, In The Red Bedroom, 11th July 2021.