Neither Net Nor Trident
A (fictional) review of Ray Hudson’s first collection of verses
by Matteo Cossu
Ray Hudson’s first book of verses falls in the tradition of John Berryman and Derek Walcott. Inspired by an the greats, Hudson’s work echoes Yates, but pays equal homage to the Classics. National attention greeted his Magisterial: An Hymn to the 6-Yard Box (1996), a dense, brilliant book-length dialogue with Gian Lorenzo Bernini, on the subject of form, function and trajectory of set pieces. His fame intensified by his appointment as a official poet in residence at beIN SPORTS. His most famous verses often portray “Lionel”, a supernatural and often-deranged faun whose dances haunt and delight alike.
Made up of one or two stanzas that teem with allusions to past and present events and to literary figures, Neither Net Nor Trident displays an astonishing variety of poetic resources that include slangy diction and a nervous, fractured syntax.
The Genesis
Like a Jedi Knight.
No, better than that. A Templar
Knight.
A flash of pure inspiration.
The genesis: Ibarra.
Lionel lifts it up, flame throws it past.
Superlative, and an out of this world,
Bernini sculpture,
of a finish.
Déjà vu
He knows where
his bread
is buttered. And it’s on thick.
This is a bravado goal.
This is an absolute Concerto goal.
The first one was brilliant,
but this
will make the living déjà vu
all over again.
Adrian Against the Wall
A dazzling goal
from Adrian. He’s go no left foot
and it doesn’t matter,
cause the right foot
turns
into a Strat.
It’s beautiful, but he doesn’t trust his left foot — it’s made of chocolate.
He’s all right foot man, but it plays
sweet music.
Lovely little mazy run here
from the man with the shoulders like a Coca-Cola bottle.
Another little
snap,
crackle,
pop.
But he’s in the box.
Neither Net nor Trident
The genius, the genius of
Football
In our modern-day life,
Utterly unpredictable.
He doesn’t know what he’s going to do––so how the hell do the defenders.
You cannot contain him
with a net
or a trident.
He’s got pace, he’s got power, he’s got vision.
Technique!
And he’s got
finishing power.
His cup Runneth over… Magnificent Messi
Wild man…….
He doth bestride the Earth
Like a Colossus
