Elegy on the Men in Blue

On soaring hopes our heroes flew
To the Caribbean shore, of glorious hue.
Anon they landed, with a gleam in their eyes.
Bestrode the earth and reached for the skies
In their cerulean suits – the magnificent Men in Blue!

Our stars were men of many talents -
Crooned and pranced in countless advertisements.
But what about the hook, and the chinaman?
Oh yes, that too! Once the shot is in the can,
And their mugs festooned, on flosses red and shampoos blue.

“We’ll knock the wind off the Windies’ sails,
And slice the Kangaroos’ swaggering tails.
The Springboks are hobbling, their stride flounders,
The Kiwis? They’re just here to make up the numbers”,
Drawled Dravid and his merry retinue – “we’ll beat ‘em black and blue”!

The Bengal tiger in the campaign opener,
Struggled to a fifty with sweat and labor.
But his neighbors, across in the east
Lampooned his effort with nonchalant ease.
And through the depressed dressing room, a dolorous breeze blew.

A chafed Chapell summoned a conference
In a belated effort to bolster confidence.
“Not to worry”! said he, “it was but a hiccup.
Just a little stumble on our march to the Cup.”
From his sermon with zeal renewed, emerged the Boys in Blue.

But their restored vigour notwithstanding
Their batting and bowling were both found wanting
When the Lankan lions roared to present,
To a billion bleary eyes, their darkest moment,
And to the humbled babes, birthday suits, to replace the tarnished blue.