In The Red

Were you there today ?
Did you watch the sky burn scarlet on The Pontoon,
deepening its blushes, sharing our shame
as The Town were undone by The Dons?

Did you see how the heads of Hegarty and Bolland,
Ravenhill and North,
paled to pink as the day closed crimson,
reflecting our embarrassment and theirs
as what used to be Wimbledon extended their lead
while the crowd shrank,
the faithful in frustration
streaming from the ground
in waves of disappointment
with fifteen minutes left to play?

At least the team was humble,
chastened and subdued,
not daring to celebrate the meaningless
well-taken, ninetieth minute goal,
deferring to the fans that remained,
the last of the sanguine, some of them red-eyed
as they offered tired applause
for a team whose credibility is seriously in arrears.