A soccer poem for February

6th February 1958

Where was I on that terrible day?

Families in ruins, lives cut short

When in Munich at fifteen oh four

Decision to taxi, failed to abort.

Mush on the runway, snow on the wings

Boys gone in a moment: Manchester mourns

Rigid grief of the city

Of sorrows hard borne

Talents won’t flower now

Nor will skills entertain

Or inspire the younger player

Or raise life’s refrain

Eddie Colman, David Pegg

The reserve full back Bent

Inspirational Byrne

A leader of men.

Billy Whelan, Tommy Taylor

Died at the scene

Seven lives ripped away

The heart of the team

Duncan Edwards a warrior

Survived and fought on

But he lost his last battle

In days he was gone

Others died on that night

Leaving loved ones distraught

Their love for life and United

Brought down far too short.

Matt Busby survived

As did Charlton, Violet and Wood

Some would thus play again

But some never would

United rose from the ashes

Old Trafford stood proud

But there was always a sorrow

At the heart of each crowd

And for all of those honours

Which light up the scene

The memory still lingers

On what might have been.