In less than a week, South Africa plays host to The Greatest Show on Earth when the World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg. Pretty soon, the Knackery will be full of punditry and prognostication on the fortunes of the Socceroos as they take on the world’s best.
To celebrate, a panel of experts (actually, a bunch of boffins) has been assembled from around the globe, including me (Haiku Bob) to create the first Football Haiku World Cup. And you are all invited to take part. This is a world-wide invitation to write haiku inspired by ‘the beautiful game’. It is a festival of language as much as a festival of football and this is your chance to have your own words go down in the annals of World Cup History.
So while the Socceroos are playing at high altitude and the bleery-eyed faithful among you are high on caffeine to get you through the late, cold, deep-winter telecast, take advantage of your levitated state and pen a poem or two. Get something down and send it in. It might be about Cahill’s tatts, Harry’s groin or Bresciano’s nude nut. It doesn’t matter. Get it down. It can be about past heroes and World Cups. Not necessarily this one. Write about the penalty that sent us crashing out of the last World Cup. Anything at all. It can be in any language (are you listening Gigs?) but a translation would be helpful (are you still listening Gigs?)
An eBook containing all the haiku sent in from around the world will be produced and distributed to commemorate the occasion, and we are in discussions with designers to get a printed version made as well. It’s very exciting to be a part of it.
So while Pim’s trying to figure out whether to go 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-5-1, grab your pens and decide your own formation, be it 5-7-5, 3-5-3 or any way you like. You’re the manager. Maybe you’re the Special One. We’d love to see what you’ve got.
Again, anyone and everyone is invited to send in haiku – pros and novices alike.
For full details on how to enter, go to our website http://haikuworldcup.blogspot.com/ where you can find heaps of info on how to write haiku and the project itself. And if writing haiku or poetry isn’t really your thing, find out and how to become a patron or supporter of the project. Look for us on Facebook too.
Get into in Knackers!
Haiku Bob.
injury time –
the corner kick bends
with the crowd
About rob scott
Rob Scott (aka Haiku Bob) is a peripatetic haiku poet who calls Victoria Park home. He writes haiku in between teaching whisky and drinking English, or something like that.
Vlad and Barassi
Watching in South Africa
at arm’s length
media frenzy
fuels advertising glut
the bandwagon rolls
Footy Show buffoons
arrive in Johannesburg
Sam’s still a spittoon
the perfected sphere’s
outrageous trajectory
foils Jesus again
I knew I’d wear you down eventually Syso.
Rob, I’m not sure I can achieve the kind of Zen state necessary for this malarky.
nil-nil draw limbo
the faithful leave the ground
on the defensive
an expansive game
beaten by america —
only a friendly
Haiku Bob inspires,
He stretches the grey matter –
My efforts below.
Every four years –
My heart resides in my mouth
Sleep forgotten.
Whistle blows
The world won’t turn
Celebrate?
In the gleaming sun
Humanity joins as one
Not for long enough.
Tim
I’d send in your second one if I was you, although I’d put the dash at the end of the second line instead of the first.
Ian
Pretty sure I’ve seen you in a Zen-like state a few times…
“nil-nil draw limbo” is a beauty. Send it in!
Thanks for the advice Bob, I’ll make that change and send it in.
Just a nonsense shortie really:
Selogilwe
he still admires Rooney
despite the cussing
I was very impressed with Jeff Selogilwe’s attitude in an interview yesterday. He retains his sense of humour despite some intimidating language from Rooney.
Alan Summers
With Words
Pim Verbeek fiddles
with an untested line-up
Australia burns
queue jumpers homebound —
italian fans boarding
the hubris express