Penalties
Both captains of England beaming
Out through a betting shop window.
The trophy they hold’s just for show
To entice punters who’re dreaming
World Cup dreams. Footballing success
Against the odds: There is romance
And an outside gamble that chance
Might pay out, and so help to address
The piker’s parlous fiscal state.
Also, there’s national pride at stake,
All lost on a simple mistake;
Seeming perniciousness of fate.
Briefly, the optimism flows,
But then, the final whistle blows.
D. A.