 | Messrs Bat and Ball |  |
35
AN OVER OF DAYS
Considered as the last six balls bowled to one of my friends by Captain Death.
Monday's shook him, but he blocked it.
Tuesday's reared. The Batsman cocked it
Safely past the Bowler's hand
Otherwise than thought had planned.
Tuesday's reared. The Batsman cocked it
Safely past the Bowler's hand
Otherwise than thought had planned.
Wednesday's was a Yorker, thrust
Outward in a drift of dust.
Outward in a drift of dust.
Thursday's nicked the off-side bail
In its narrow groove of metal,
While the Veteran—staggering, pale—
Watched it lift, fall back, and settle.
In its narrow groove of metal,
While the Veteran—staggering, pale—
Watched it lift, fall back, and settle.
Friday's, rushing like a boulder
Down a mountain, struck his bat
Fiercely on a pointed shoulder;
Sprang aloft to split his cheekbone
Like an eggshell; knocked him flat!
Beaten? Though divorced from mind,
Groped the twitching hands to find
What had fallen there. He touched it;
Laughed a conqueror's laugh; and clutched it.
Followed Saturday's astounding
Break-back—meteor-swift, confounding
Vision, pith, and nerve, and grounding
Two stumps out of three. No wonder
Death himself swayed panting under
Sudden gloom! A big-boned giant,
Long courageous, long defiant,
Sprawled (as loosely as the wicket)
Deaf to Umpire, dead to Cricket!
Down a mountain, struck his bat
Fiercely on a pointed shoulder;
Sprang aloft to split his cheekbone
Like an eggshell; knocked him flat!
Beaten? Though divorced from mind,
Groped the twitching hands to find
What had fallen there. He touched it;
Laughed a conqueror's laugh; and clutched it.
36
Break-back—meteor-swift, confounding
Vision, pith, and nerve, and grounding
Two stumps out of three. No wonder
Death himself swayed panting under
Sudden gloom! A big-boned giant,
Long courageous, long defiant,
Sprawled (as loosely as the wicket)
Deaf to Umpire, dead to Cricket!
| Messrs Bat and Ball | |