Poetry Corner

Dear NTV,

My name is Andrew McLean and I have been a Celtic fan for over 10 years. I believe that being a Celtic fan is special, so when I was accepted to Glasgow University I was thrilled to know that I was moving to the city my club call home, Glasgow.

I attended my first ever European game at Celtic Park when Celtic defeated Zenit 1-0 and the experience was unlike anything I have ever felt before.
Recently I wrote a poem which was inspired by my experience at that game and it would fill me with great pleasure and immense pride if you were to publish it in a Not the View issue.

The poem is called “A Paradise, green and true” and it is dedicated to both my late Great Uncle John and my favourite football team. I hope you enjoy it.

A Paradise, green and true.

A thick humming hymn of air,
From clenched fists of prayer,
Spreads from Glasgow’s East.
Hear vocals from God’s bequeathed.
Behold man’s strength and more
Causes song and age-old folklore.
Sets of knuckles like stadia struts
And Saturday’s surge sports all but –
Blood bound brothers soon bound to be bloodied.
Pumped to four fists of this city
Cold, their voices like mists.
Each man in the crowd a troubadour,
Of the blood and men that ran before
Through Glasgow’s veined arms.
Clyde muscled but not being blue,
The cranes are gone now, but for a few,
So they built a Paradise, green and true.

Kind regards,
Andrew.