I watched the coundown to this brawl
upon the level playing field,
as Hotspurs versus Arsenal
as prelude to the FA Shield;
the first offensive was a steal
an own-goal up against the wall,
the Scuds replied with equal zeal,
the line-ball was too close to call.

A shoot-out after extra time
all lit up as a gala fete,
with spin-control to hold the line
and time-out for commercial breaks:
and smart-bombs used to lance the boil,
with oil for blood, and blood for oil.

Published in Asteroid Belt (Woodbine Press, 2002).