Haiku Bob’s reflection on the Grand Final.
AFL Preliminary Final – Sydney v Collingwood: September breeze
Haiku Bob reflects on Collingwood’s final game of the season.
Haiku Bob: so little done
Haiku Bob’s take on the recent West Coast v Collingwood match
seconds ticking
august night hot puffs of breath enter the stadium the moon witness to all the mistakes under the sun night chill Reid rises from the mist bare trees all authority gone from our game Saints hit the front the stadium changes tune long bomb the rush [Read more]
haiku bob: more than daylight
hawks glide casting shadows across the ‘G bright winter sun – more than daylight between the two teams static forward line winter stillness ice cold hands even in the sunshine – the slumping star for a moment nothing but Rioli heavy defeat looms my life too lacks direction packed [Read more]
already gone
cat wakes up magpies already gone night mist – the tagger looks around for his man rain and fog – still no sign of Cloke pouring rain a long stream of handballs rain squalls – players chase the ball to and fro Swan streams forward rain begins to clear 8 goal quarter – [Read more]
changing pitch
four beers in things a little ragged down back and up forward winter frost yawning cracks in the back half Beams unsighted the moon hiding in the clouds needing a goal from anywhere Thomas from nowhere back in it the crowd’s noise changes pitch wellinghamagro [Read more]
A little more
deep in the last term – when little more can be done we do a little more my heart beats – the ball falls from his arms Elliot’s heroics – a reminder I’m not a child sky bereft of blue how difficult some goals are overcast Beams making something out of [Read more]
Haiku Bob: football the ocean
pile of leaves – the coach’s plans all coming together crisp afternoon – the click of our midfield football the ocean Swan swims in rustle of leaves – the defender hears footsteps sunlight spills through the clouds – Blair crumbs broken sunlight – Swan half in half out of [Read more]
out of sight
edge of the city the sound of a goal late start an early rush of goals twilight game how soon the forwards put us out of sight broken clouds in the space between Beams full moon Didak still going round defenders swirling leaves suddenly Ablett somewhere else kicking yips [Read more]
Haiku Bob: From the outer
autumn remains – a few minutes left of the low scoring game away game the ball not going to the right spots one goal down in the rain sinking lower into the sofa scores level vapor rises from the outer branches snap off another knee thin rain hopes of winning [Read more]
Haiku Bob: nowhere left
autumn night Pendlebury shifts attention from the cold wind halves the moon a perfect pass intercepted misdirected kick the man-mountain brushed aside spring sun dusting the screen to watch Pendlebury leaves skip past Didak turns out of trouble Pendlebury gathers on the wing a leaf [Read more]
autumn veins
autumn night long before it ends the game over goal in the first minute and the last in between the scrap deep autumn veins bulge on the neck of the coach sun long gone the forward line lacking spark sultry night a set shot slides away away game short passing left behind some leaves dead [Read more]
round 6 – haiku bob – three quarter moon
roof closed the game not reaching great heights three quarter moon the crowd just shy of full colder nights a measured kick lands out on the full turning leaves all our goals kicked by defenders thinning trees welcoming with open arms Cloke’s first mark moon [Read more]
almost not there
autumn night the missing parts of our game watching the footy in a different time-zone I whisper an expletive turning leaves Swan fast becoming slow wisps of cloud Collingwood almost not there lingering snow the team’s lifeblood lies motionless flaming red the young maple – new coach feels the heat autumn haze I vaguely remember [Read more]
still the crowd
Good Friday – we discuss who ought to be culled Easter Saturday – we enter the game without our leader a shot at goal brings howls from the crowd – full moon no wind missed kicks still the crowd autumn night nothing much going on except Pendlebury dusk – Daisy splits the night into [Read more]
down another falling
new season starts at the 10 minute mark I catch my breath first quarter the umpire plucks the ball from the clinging pack dusk deepens one more missed goal the debutant’s first shot at goal straight through the middle MCG in March Buddy’s skied hook post-high Cloke drags down another falling leaves alone inside fifty [Read more]
sunlight on leather
by Rob Scott first morning a familiar scent on the breeze It should perhaps be the game at its purest. Everyone and everything is primed. Sun-tanned, tattooed and absurdly muscled players; feverish fans emerging on frenzied tenterhooks from a long summer of enforced detachment and other family commitments; pristinely manicured playing surfaces; even [Read more]
Haiku for Maggie
by Damien Little The morning sun beats Starting slowly unsteady Gripping handle bars Determination Can’t let go a father’s test Start over again Determination Possibilities awake Feel freedom flying Almanac Admin
deeper into spring
spring sunset the difference a goal makes freshly cut fields Swan feeds on the MCG cloud then sun then cloud yet to hit our stride looking for the angle Krakouer turns his back to the goals a gap in the clouds Wellingham catches the [Read more]











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