4 April 2021

By Philip Kuepper

Even before the start,
I rooted for Oxford,
not in opposition to Cambridge,
but for a reason, wholly sentimental,
having once toured Christ’s,
with Michael, and Magdelen’s,
while never having been able to fit in
a visit to Cambridge.

Both teams sat fit in their boats,
erect, alert, intelligent,
the three points on any compass
of success. They shot!
off the start, rowed abreast
with heat, the heat
of victory. Even defeat was defined
as victory in their minds.

Their blades and the river
talked trash to one another,
along the entire course.
Their talk cut
like lashes of tongue
that only spurred them on.
If either team was going to win,
they both were.

(29 March 2021)