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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

#Jabs13

The boy looked up and saw them dressed in black
They had not started but began to sweat.
Seeing them, clipboards turned discreetly back,
Scouts could change his fate, men he had not met. 

At first puck drop, helmets began to pop.
Shoving, hitting, anything just to score.
Ignorant to how his career would stop.
It was no one’s fault, the timing was poor.

He lay on the ice, no movement at all.
Everyone, parents and players, a hush.
Counting seconds, then minutes, since the fall.
His spine, to the hospital in a rush.

Jack will not skate again, he’s now a sign.
Of hope, since the day 13 broke his spine. 

-- Mick Sullivan

2 comments:

  1. you spend the first two stanzas describing the scene which really helps put the reader in the right heavy mind set. I think the ending works perfectly with referring to his number which has become such an icon in the hockey world.

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  2. Agreed with Sarah about the first two stanzas. It puts the reader in the moments and makes them realize how suddenly it happened, how it was such a freak accident with such serious repercussions. The couplet at the end is also really good, especially using his number

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