Almanac (Footy) Poetry: The karma of gathering

 

Simon de Frankston has been writing poems since he was booted out of Collingwood Tech, but it’s only now he’s been persuaded to publish at The Footy Almanac. On agreeing to send us his latest, he inquired about the stipend. Realising the subsequent silence was not a promising sign (about four minutes later), he opened negotiations by asking for six dimmies. The Almanac offered  two dimmies and a seafood stick, and he couldn’t sign quickly enough.

 

 

 

 

So
Collingwood continue to cleave to their current, petulant incarnation.

They disdain efficiency – preferring charismatic virtuosity and the mixed cadence it brings.

Karma.

Ginnivan was superb and embodied the impish dare that makes great small footballers.
He utterly overshadowed the gimlet dwarf Schultz.

Karma.

The round was full of threats and struggles against destiny, only to succumb to destiny.

Freo’s Karma. Carlton’s Karma.

The great daimyo of the AFL held their nerve, wove their spells.
The stoic patience of Geelong’s Scott.
The stumbling fury of the idiot Voss.
The florid, affronted, barely-bridled excess of Goodwin.
The humble, forsaken confusion of Fagan.
The stolid submission of Longmuir.
The studied unconcern, the willful Zen of McCrae.

But the season is unfinished.
The story is unwritten.
Karma abides the Winter.

As does the Badger.
King of the puddle and the pot-hole.
Ross Lyon abides the Winter.

The leaves and the rain begin to fall.
The Fates gather.

The dimmies are in the cup. The soy is on the food-van counter. Serviette if you are lucky. Burnt tongue if you are not.

Karma.

Spring is a lifetime away.