Almanac Poetry: Boys’ own footy with handpass

 

 

 

BOYS’ OWN FOOTY WITH HANDPASS

by Black Pepper

 

Youngster KF was a folder of newspapers,
usually the evening broadsheet The Herald,
two nights’ worth to make up enough layers,
which, after eight folds, he’d have thickness required.
Then he swung the pile around to fold the end,
the smaller width, tightly in, which he weighted
with bricks. When he lifted them off an hour later
he had a flat oblong about twelve inches by four.
He tied it with string to keep the flat bundle taut.

It was not round but had a gesture towards oval,
not to be kicked along the ground or dropped in a hoop,
but its raggedy make-up suited make-up AFL.
Now boys enough gather at the railway linear park
to play kick to kick and practise their marking.
It wouldn’t bounce but poor boys could dream.

HANDPASS

Rural suburbs away, Mick Grubb, KF’s future mate,
‘the memory man’, remembered socks.
Sock after sock, preferably Merino, balled,
was stuffed tightly, one on one into a carefully
selected outer sock, pushed in deep till a knobbly
oval is shaped, the top knotted or tied with
loops of rubber bands, a shape of soft, rough
beauty that still won’t bounce but perfect for
a hallway kick to kick with his sporty brother
in those young days of inclement Koo Wee Rup.

Black Pepper

 

 

Read more Almanac Poetry HERE

If you would like to receive the Almanac Music and Poetry newsletter we will add you to the list. Please email us: [email protected]

To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?

And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE.