The Inkwell
#whatsinthepicture #photoprompt
Golf can be a treacherous game
walking out miles from the safety
of the cosy clubhouse
to the first tee
journey rugged to a deceptive beauty
ball carefully placed on the tee
club measured for the perfect weight of shot
but golfer beware
for out on the windy cliff
you may find your golf shoes
changed for wellington boots
depending on where the ball lands
#socs #pin
Someone once told me – you never really leave the scouts
In a sense – i guess they were right.
Why? i hear you ask – because of some little things picked up along the way
back when i was a cub scout (yeah! i am that old) when we went on expeditions or on camps, we’d try and pick up a patch for our camp blankets – which kept us warm on cold nights and some of us turned into ponchos for night time around the camp
I collected plenty of these badges – and still have them in the house in a box – as a reminder of the places i’ve been
Yorkshire Dales, Edinburgh, Peak District, Lake District, Cheshire, Lancashire….
But i guess fashions change….and around the time when Manchester hosted the Commonwealth Games, the cloth patches turned a little more smaller and a little more harder….and a little more metallic.
There were Pin badges with the Manchester logo on them , 18 Sports pins covering the various sports events, country pins and team pins for the staff
And after the games had finished, places of interest took up the mantle as well as other sporting events.
Turn the lock forward to 2012 – and i’m finding myself at Old Trafford and the Pins are back
Reminders of places visited, Events volunteeered at and things achieved
They even introduced them at the Imperial War Museum – for years of service
Old Trafford, Manchester, 14th August 2021
They’d been preparing for this for weeks
Olympics – a mere distraction
to what lay ahead
The match – early saturday
the vendors – out with their home made goods – were there on Friday
the banner stretched across the entrance gate window
a statement of intent
red carpet laid out for the opposition fans
hoping they’d enjoy the spectacle – if not the scoreline
This ain’t no pulp fiction
Or a work from Shakespeare
Candid Cameras aren’t hiding round
to jump up and appear
Events they are a happening
this can’t be called “Fake News”
Competitors are going for the medals
Commentators – are blowing a fuse
For favourites are being shown the door
whilst outsiders pick up Gold and More
from countries more than favourites yield
in sports olympic, track and field
And while they sit there, mouths open wide
the rank outsiders running with pride
he’s a very happy chap
for he’s running his own victory lap
#Olympic #Relay #Running
Racing to reach that golden finish line
everyone has to do their bit to get their teams baton through
last leg as important as the first
and it’s crucial to keep a good grip of that metallic tube
you drop it – you’ll be out of the race for a medal
#socs #hope
I
expectation….
its building in the streets
wondering if
Maybe – Just maybe
the men and the ministry
will tell us we can go back to normal
II
Grandkids
calling their nannas and grandads
plans being formulated
over an i-pad screen
rendezvous to see them
and share a hug
III
The athletes preparing
to jet off in search for gold
times and distances to be broken
records to be re-written
under the umbrella of prevention
will search be fruitful – here’s hoping
IV
Final preparations draw near
to the victor – comes the shiny trophy
Two nations, expect
The weight of expectation – balanced
Till the referee blows his whistle
The golf pro landed the ball
downhill
all seemed well
that was until
aided by the grass or on its own
perhaps by wind it was blown
down the slope , and into a trap
into the sand, in a moments snap
the ball was rescued by his sand wedge
only to find its self back on the ledge
and on this slightly windy day
he watched, as his ball down the hill, rolled away
#SoCs #OOP
Holding on to the ball ?
Out of the question in my younger years – but Now
Occasionally, i’ll be in the right place to
Position the ball against the backboard to
Score a point
#SoCs #Run #Life #Sports
you’ve been doing this
since you were little
toddling round the garden
Rewards ? Only you know
there’s a time to beat – from a to b
kept from the last time you did it
stopwatch started at the first step
and while you pound the sandstone and tarmac
you’re chasing down your personal prize
Obstacles a plenty – pedestrians to bollards
but aside from the medals round your neck
the best reward ? the lower number on the bathroom scales
A reminiscence
Watching my first football game
Enchantment on Boxing Day
Seeing young charges, trying to
Outdo the achievements of players and Heroes past
Moving towards the opposition net and
Enjoying the home team score a goal
The Inkwell