Title: Penguins

Author: Bernadette Hall

In: Sport 33: Spring 2005

Publication details: Fergus Barrowman, 2005

Part of: Sport

Keywords: Verse Literature

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Sport 33: Spring 2005

Penguins

page 42

Penguins

for Vivienne Plumb

This is me in the penguin suit. And this is Vivienne.
She's in a penguin suit too. That's Eirlys. She's dressed up
in goggles and fur because, being taller, she's a hero.

The cardboard cameras are unbelievably authentic
as are the polystyrene blocks of ice.

The hero is kind. He puts a big gloved hand on the top
of our heads. We lean across his broad chest
like book ends. We look up at him. It's really cute.

Should my flippers go vertical or horizontal,
I wonder. Ah, the comfort of this nice big fat squeezy tum.

We turn a deaf ear, Vivienne and me,
to the charismatic slavering of the dogs, spit gleaming
on their bloody fangs, the avalanche of their barking.

We think they're all barking mad.

Then someone says 'We're a man short'
so they pick Vivienne up and take her into the hut.
They sit her on a chair at the top of the table

with a bib round her neck and a pink paper crown on her head.
They put a plate of plum pudding with brandy sauce
and tinned cream and a spoon and a fork in front of her,

with a cigar to follow. They toast the King.
Then they all sing: 'For she's a jolly good fellow'
and so say all of us.