Poem
Michael Laskey
ORANGES
ORANGES
ORANGES
Brought to us on a plateat half time by the linesman,
we break from the pep talk —
he wants us quicker
at the rucks, more possession —
and jostle for choice of slice,
suck them, make gumshields of them,
or thumbing them inside out
we gnaw the last shreds of flesh
off the peel, wipe our hands
on our shorts, on Gorringe’s shirt.
Our perks, our just deserts,
not given a second thought
as we spread out, take up our positions
for the start of the second half.
© 2008, Michael Laskey
Publisher: First published on PIW,
Publisher: First published on PIW,
Michael Laskey
(United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1944)
Michael Laskey was born in Lichfield in Staffordshire. He read English at St John’s College, Cambridge, and then worked for ten years as a teacher in Spain and England. He has lived in Suffolk since 1978, working as a freelance writing tutor with a wide range of children and adults, and as an arts administrator.
He was one of the founders of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in 1989 and directed it ...
He was one of the founders of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in 1989 and directed it ...
Poems
Poems of Michael Laskey
Close
ORANGES
Brought to us on a plateat half time by the linesman,
we break from the pep talk —
he wants us quicker
at the rucks, more possession —
and jostle for choice of slice,
suck them, make gumshields of them,
or thumbing them inside out
we gnaw the last shreds of flesh
off the peel, wipe our hands
on our shorts, on Gorringe’s shirt.
Our perks, our just deserts,
not given a second thought
as we spread out, take up our positions
for the start of the second half.
ORANGES
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère