The poem,

which tells the charming story of a game of soccer,

conjures up a vivid image of Karoo life.

Soccer, Karoo Style – Clive

Lawrance
The poet
Clive Lawrance was born in
1935 and is a South African
poet and journalist. He
worked as a journalist in
England, America and South
Africa and was the bureau
chief of the Christian Science
Monitor in New York. He
retired to the Karoo to write
poetry and now lives in
Pietermaritzburg.
Stanza 1
We had to shoo a fat
sow, three piglets and
a family of chickens off
the pitch,

The players have to

chase animals off the
field before they can
start the game. Then
the soccer ball bursts…
Stanza 1

then carry a
somnambulant*
great dane* from the
penalty spot before
the game could
begin.
 Stanza 1
Shortly after half-time
our goalkeeper hoofed* the ball
skyward
and it burst into flower and
wobbled
to earth.
Stanza 2

Both captains tried

to shove the
bulging rubber
back into its pod,
but, with a sad
pssst, it died.
The ball is stuffed with socks
and underwear so that play
can continue.

I thought that was the end

of the game, but someone
quickly collected old
socks and underpants
and stuffed them inside
the leather casing, and
the game went on, to end
in a goalless draw.
Stanza 3
The teams trooped off the pitch
and the great dane, with a deep
sigh,
slouched towards the penalty
spot.

Finally, we are left with an image of the

animals returning to the field as both
teams troop off.
 Theme

Little can disturb the slow

pace of life in this rural
area, where people and
animals live together in a
close community.
Structure
• This poem is written in free verse.
• Is written in an informal conversational, narrative style.
• Is rich in description, amusing but also authentic (accurate).
 • Somnambulant -walking or having the habit of walking while
asleep
• Great Dane -any of a breed of tall massive powerful smooth-
coated dogs
• hoofed -furnished with hooves
• wobbled -to move or proceed with an irregular rocking or
staggering motion or unsteadily and clumsily from side to side
• bulging - swelling or thrusting out from a surrounding or adjacent
surface

Vocabulary • pod - a usually protective container

• casing - something that encases - material for encasing:
• trooped - a collection of people or things
• slouched - a gait or posture characterized by an ungainly
stooping of the head and shoulders or excessive relaxation of body
muscles Memorandum 1.1 – The sow and piglets,
the chickens and the Great Dane.
1.2 – “our goalkeeper hoofed the ball skyward” – the
goalkeeper’s feet are compared to an animal with hooves.
The metaphor is effective because it shows the strength
of the kick which caused the ball to burst.
1.3 – “pssst” –the ball collapsed – air moved out and
the game was surely over because they could not use the
ball anymore.
1.4 – Everyone is active except the Great Dane – he is
lazy and sleepy and not interested in playing with them.
1.5 - The poem, which tells the charming story of a
game of soccer, conjures up a vivid image of Karoo life.
Little can disturb the slow pace of life in this rural area,
where people and animals live together in a close
community.