Sam Cohen has been assembling poems from the conversations he overhears at his children’s soccer games and practices.
Indoor Field, January 31, 2015, or, Song of the Parents
SHOOT IT, OWEN, SHOOT IT
GO GO GO
QUIT PLAYING WITH YOUR SOCKS, ZACH
THAT'S YOURS THAT'S YOURS
UH OH
GET TO THE MIDDLE, SOPHIA
PAY ATTENTION
GIT IT GIT IT GIT IT
OH
Indoor Field, January 31, 2015, or, Halftime
You’re doing a good job
But
You gotta go around him
Trick him
You gotta hustle
Be a man
Indoor Field, February 30, 2015, or, Fitness Day at Practice
That’s not how you do a pushup
Get your butt down
Get it down
Too far
Get it up
Get your butt up
O.K., karaokes
One foot over the other
No, that foot over that one
Your right over your left
Your other left
Then behind it
No, the other one
Behind the other one
O.K., shuffles
Gentlemen, is this playtime?
Is this grab-ass time?
Did your parents bring you here
to watch you grab-ass?
No, they didn’t, Jaden
I’m pretty sure they didn’t
Field 3, March 18, 2015, or, The Mouths of Babes
Aidan
Aidan
I’m open
I’m wide open
Hey
You can’t shoot it every time
You’re like a mile from the goal
I’m all by myself in the middle there
At least give and go
Wall pass
Triangle pass
Pass to me
I’ll pass it back
I swear
Field 12, March 18, 2015, or, The Mouths of Babes II
Whose man was that
I can’t cover everybody
I’m just one kid
Practice Field, April 16, 2015, or, Pelé's Sister
You call that a settle
Settle the ball, Blake
Right in front of you
We don’t kick like that, Blake
Blake, we don’t kick with our toes, do we
Blake, no toe bombs
Nice cross, Grace
Gracie, way to hustle
Blake, watch Grace
Field 19, May 3, 2015, or, A Soccer Tournament Poem
Go, Max!
Help, Josh!
Get in the middle!
Connor!
Connor!
Connor!
Why are you waiting?
What are you doing?
Connor!
Field 8, May 3, 2015, or, C’mon, Ref
C’MON, REF, WHERE’S THE FOUL?
SHE’S ELBOWING!
SHE’S USING HER ELBOW!
SHE’S ELBOWING!
C’MON.
KNOCK THAT GIRL OVER!
KNOCK HER OFF THE BALL!
OH, NOW IT’S A FOUL?
Field 8, May 3, 2015, or, To His Coy Referee
TIME WASTING, REF!
HE’S WASTING TIME
MAKE HIM TAKE THE KICK!
TAKE THE KICK!
TIME-WASTING!
GIVE US A CHANCE!
YOU GOT TO GIVE US A CHANCE!
Field 19, May 4, 2015, or, Archaic Torso of Apollo
O.K.
O.K.
O.K.
I’m going to add time
Because of you people
But you have to relax
Can you please relax