ROWING NORSE

by Craig Crowden

The Cup is ours for the taking.

Our lads are bent on brand building as

we row into the hearts of the world

heading for our colony of Vinland.

Our lads are bent on brand building as

we sail from a Fiord clad in Viking garb.

Heading for our colony of Vinland,

we score iconic team photos.

We sail from a Fiord clad in Viking garb

striking fear into football defenses,

we score iconic team goals

charming even those we sack.

Striking fear into football defenses,

we show Brazil a beautiful game

charming even those we sack,

turning vanquished foes into fans.

We showed Brazil a beautiful game.

We gave England all it could take

turning victorious foes into fans

Off we row home to a parade.

We gave England all it could take

leaving with class and respect.

Off we row home to a parade

while cleverly conquering Instagram.

Leaving with class and respect,

we row into the hearts of the world

while cleverly conquering Instagram.

The Cup is ours for the taking!

*

We row back home to

one hundred-fifty thousand

Norse fans—triumphant!

Hidden in Haaland’s raccoon

lies the heart of the World Cup.

Craig Cowden: As a Norwegian and a fan of the beautiful game, I was very excited when Norway made the World Cup field. Then they put on a master class in marketing starting with an extraordinary photo shoot from a Fjord in Norway. They backed this up with outstanding play reaching the quarterfinals earning respect across the world. They did it with class and lots of fun. I am very proud to be Norwegian.   

PRAVDA

by Kelly Jadon

Nicholas Roerich, "Guests from Overseas"

Awaking in spring, gaunt from nursing cubs
in darkness, alone, in her den
So is Mother Russia with Ukraine, Georgia
buffers which she keeps within reach

Her snowy fur hiding blackened skin
for warmth against ancient frigid tundra
Crossed by Vikings, Rus', a brutal heritage
ancestral blood violented by Mongols

Hunting hares across drifts
she returns with raw prey
offerings of peace to cubs
Feeding rebellious spirits within her states

Drawing her babes outward,
she nudges them to follow
in her footsteps they plod,
Unbalanced, weak, young
not fully independent democracies

To the sea’s ice
she dives fishing
gazing into air holes of whiskered seals
her territory
As is Kiev, taken by Grand Prince of Rus'
Oleg

Swimming miles across open waters
she leads growing cubs
in her wake
Old Soviet thinking controlling masses
hammer and sickle
Berlin wall, Afghanistan, Georgia—
all unforgotten

Two years cubs follow the mother
learning her hunting and survival skills
As Viking thoughts prepare for Mongol behaviors
the Rus'
bear witness
truth of who they truly are


Kelly Jadon is a graduate of Spring Arbor University and holds a degree in English with a focus on poetry.  She is a teacher, poet, and writer.  Her poem "To Taste The Oil" was recently published by The Voices Project and was featured at the University of Colorado "Eye Contact" event as an audible poem.  Her poem "the snow pile" was published at Everyday Poets (1/2014).  "Destination Hamamatsu" to be published in Pavilion Magazine (Fall 2014).