The Ball

A ball lies in front of me
Coverless, no history that I know
Hockey, cricket? Some game long past
it may have known. Or not
No history that I know
Perhaps a strong arm blessed it with great force
Or bat became intimate with guided strength
Or stick cuddled it swiftly end to end
No history that I know

A story somewhere, lost with its owner
Now a ball lies in front of me

21 November 2004

No story, no cover, a life on my desk
Links me to the past
It has no story that I know
Yet binds me to my own story
Ball bouncing between outspread bipeds
Young lads in a circle starting a game
Stinger – ball thrown, ball dodged
Bowler to batsman – Howzat!?
A cry I never made, though wanted to
Ball struck left to right
Glancing off defender’s back – into goal
Stories of games from nine to sometime
Lodged in a ball: no cover, no story that I know
Just a life on my desk

22 November 2004