#2105 - panem et circenses

 

2105

6.278

5.x.25

panem et circenses

or

who gives a fuck about footy

 

[...] iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli / vendimus, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim /

imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se / continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat, / 

panem et circenses. [...]

                                           —Juvenal, Satire 10.77–81

 

end of the news and the killing’s done

here’s ogre at the mike

now we’re watching brain damage live

 

the rubber men (now women too)

bouncing till they break

 

it’s tribal, you could have a tattoo

with or without helmet

the porn endorphin pride

it’s not as good as sex

(though suggestive)

 

with ‘go Cromagnon’ commentary

or Piltdown if preferred

 

best in mud with beerswill cheering

 

quite the menagerie they’ve got –  

eels and tigers, rabbits, sharks

all at each other, tooth and claw

who’ll call it a fair fight

 

a level field of so much snarl

growl of hate at times

 

consider the aftersnort as well

 

weekends are worst for this

 

of course there will be biters

on any drug fuelled rampage

it’s only a few of them raping though

mainly just fists

 

it’s all about possession

and getting past the rules

over the line

hard yards and heroic

 

the jump and cuddle for success

 

empty heads cheer on

 

this is not the beautiful game

 

we need a new arena

let the artists starve

 

and all of this commends itself

as better than a war

 

paid handsomely as well

oh they are much admired