I got challenged to a One Pocket game through poetry by Alex Lely

I got challenged to a One Pocket game through poetry by Alex Lely

In response to my blog post An ode to One Pocket earlier, Alex Lely challenged me to a game of One Pocket through poetry. I was happily surprised. He started off with a terrific pun, referring to his sponsor Mezz Cues. He wrote the following:

Mezzmerized by the eloquence of my counterforcer in the game of tomorrow,
I could mumble his words,
Stumble over his traps,

Yet, i will not.
As this discipline of choice, speed, and traps makes me lucid, patient,
And more than anything other,

Eager to break a mans spirit.
Therefore i dare say,
Let a 9-7 be played to honour this Oklahoma-born,
But moreso,

To help you respect this friend yet more.
Because where I can make you stumble,
Your treasure shall be found.
Another lesson to be learned, 
And your hopes to grow once again for our next encounter thereafter.
Let a 9-7 be played tomorrow i say

I replied:

I will stare into your eyes,
You, your game,
Handicapped.
The perfect imperfection of a 9-7,
A trap nevertheless,
A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Eager, but patiently in search for prey,
To break, To outwit,
To control, To dominate.
Me, looking for the treasure,
Aware of the stumbling,
Expecting the danger,
A bumpy ride it shall be,
I will accept, admitting to a faulty 9-7,
To honour him,
The game.

The next day he ate me alive.

Share this Post

About Alex Lely

Alex is a communicator and networker, an elected politician, a professional sport journalist, and was trainer/coach for the national selections at KNBB. As a trainer he was hired by Israel, Russia, Italy, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland. Until 2006, Alex roamed the world as a professional pool player, winning many titles: World Pool Master, multiple European Champion, multiple Eurotour winner, former European number 1, and was a member of team Europe in the Mosconi Cup. In 2008 he captained (non-playing) Mosconi Cup Team Europe to a historical 11-5 victory.